Business News of Saturday, 25 August 2012

Source: GNA

Petroleum committee tours Jubilee Field

Members of the Petroleum Security Coordinating Committee (PSCC) have toured the Jubilee Oil Field off Cape Three Points in the Western Region to familiarize themselves with security operations in the field.

The visit enabled the committee to have first hand information and knowledge about the logistical and security challenges related to the production of oil in the country.

After inspecting the installations and the security arrangements at the field the Committee said it was satisfied with the arrangements and commended the Ghana Navy and other security agencies for their work.

“The committee has confidence in the steps taken by the Ghana Navy and other security services to protect the jubilee field and its assets,” Brigadier-General Charles Mankatah, Coordinator of the Committee told journalists at the Takoradi Airport on arrival from the tour on Friday.

He said it was proper that the Navy had prevented fishermen from operating closer to the installations especially the floating, production, storage and offloading (FPSO) Kwame Nkrumah, since it was essential equipment in the oil industry.

Gen. Mankatah cautioned fishermen to appreciate the dangers in operating closer to the installations and appealed to them to avoid fishing near the exclusion zone.

He said the Committee plans to work closely with the Western Regional Security Committee to intensify its educational drive at the fishing communities to enable fishermen appreciate the need for them to stay away from the installations.

“In the oil and gas industry, security and safety issues remain top of mind always and it’s not out of place that we undertake such routine visits to appraise ourselves of developments and operation in the field”.

The Petroleum Security Coordinator was full of praise for Tullow Ghana Limited (TGL), the major operator of the Jubilee Field for its high level of environmental health standards exhibited by personnel on the FPSO Kwame Nkrumah.

Welcoming the committee from the tour, Mr. Joseph Klemesu, Takoradi, General Manager of TGL, said the field has been operating actively for nearly two years “and for us as operators, we welcome the views of all the critical partners who play significant roles to ensure our success”.

The PSSC is a state body comprising security and Civil Services members tasked with ensuring the security of the Jubilee field’s operations.