NNPC announces successful River Niger crossing on OB3 gas project

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited has announced the successful completion of the River Niger crossing on the Obiafu-Obrikom-Oben (OB3) Gas Pipeline.

The project, executed by the NNPC Gas Infrastructure Company (NGIC), a subsidiary of NNPC Limited, is part of a 130-kilometre pipeline designed to transport up to 2 billion standard cubic feet of gas per day.

According to the company, the crossing — completed about two kilometres beneath the River Niger riverbed — unlocks the full capacity of the pipeline and is expected to improve energy availability and supply reliability.

In a statement on Thursday, NNPC disclosed that the technically complex phase of the project was delivered in collaboration with PCE Nig. Limited using horizontal directional drilling technology.

The Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Limited, Engr. Bashir Bayo Ojulari, described the development as a major milestone for Nigeria’s gas infrastructure.

“The completion of the OB3 River Niger crossing is a defining milestone for Nigeria’s gas infrastructure and a clear demonstration of what disciplined execution and sustained commitment to excellence can deliver,” he said.

Ojulari added that the project would enhance gas supply reliability, boost domestic utilisation, and support power generation and industrial growth across the country.

He said the pipeline would serve as a key link connecting eastern and western gas networks, with the potential to unlock over 500 million standard cubic feet of additional gas supply for the domestic market.