The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) has reportedly shut down the Offshore Safety Training Centres in Warri and Port Harcourt operated by Opeans Nigeria Limited.
The firm operates two Offshore Safety and Emergency Training Centers in Warri and Port Harcourt.
The shutdown of the two centres was attributed to “the failure of the company to meet the DPR requirement for operating such Offshore Safety and Emergency Response training centres in Nigeria”.
It was gathered that Opeans Nigeria Limited conducts courses such as the Basic Offshore Safety Induction and Emergency Training, Helicopter Underwater Escape Training, Further Offshore Emergency Training at the training centres in Warri and Port Harcourt.
But the DPR, in an official letter signed by its Director/Chief Executive Officer, Mr Sarki Auwalu, and addressed to the Managing Director of Opeans Nigeria Limited, stated that the centres did not comply with the DPR Guidelines.
The DPR Guidelines and Procedure for Travel to Offshore/Swamp Location and Obtainment of Offshore Safety Permit, which took effect in June 2019, stated the mandatory requirements that operators of Offshore Safety and Emergency Response Training Centres must strictly adhere to.
READ ALSO: $4.6bn generated from crude oil, gas exports- NNPC
Auwalu had previously stated during a webinar session with the Oil and Gas Trainers Association of Nigeria that the DPR was passionate about entrenching competence and capacity in the oil and gas training space.
“We are trying to check quackery,” he stated.
A check on the DPR website https://www.dpr.gov.ng/offshore-training-centres/ shown that Opeans Nigeria Limited accreditation expired 11th of May, 2020.
It can be recalled that the Delta State Government had in July shut down Opeans Nigeria Limited owned Offshore Safety Training Centre in Warri “for failure to produce its accreditations to operate in the state”.
When contacted on Monday, the Warri Comptroller of DPR, Antai Asoquo confirmed the report to our correspondent in Warri saying he acted on the Warriors facility.
