Tullow Ghana commissions Ghanaian-owned vessel for oil export

Tullo Ghana has commissioned the first ever Ghanaian-owned and Ghanaian flagged vessel – The Flat Confidence vessel.

The 71 meter long and 19 meter wide vessel will provide hold back-support during oil export operations at the CALM Buoy and deck cargo supply services to both of Tullow’s FPSOs – Kwame Nkrumah and John Evans Atta Mills; and also deliver multiple liquid and dry bulk cargoes from beneath deck without cross contamination and in a timely fashion.

The vessel will also be used to provide support to, and a launch platform for TGL supplied Oil Spill Response equipment, in the event of a spill.

Speaking at the commissioning of the vessel at the Takoradi Port in the Western Region, the Deputy Managing Director, Tullow Ghana, Madam Cynthia Lumor noted that the day is significant and “a proud day for Tullow and the Jubilee Partners, and an important step forward in our commitment to developing local capacity in the oil and gas industry” .

According to her “ three years ago, we at Tullow Ghana, embarked on a special initiative to adopt the marine sector and do more to deliberately support the creation of opportunities for local participation in the oil and gas industry”.

The Marine Sector Adoption Initiative, she explained “laid the blueprint for enhancing indigenous participation in the oil sector through the provision of technical and contracting support for marine services that delivered 100% Ghanaian ownership and operation of Ghanaian-flagged offshore vessels. FlatC Marine Offshore Ltd participated and took advantage of Tullow’s Marine Sector Adoption Initiative and procured this vessel we are commissioning today”.

Madam Lumor went further to explain that as part of the implementation process to support acquisition of the first Ghanaian owned vessel, Tullow Ghana facilitated a marine suitability study and provided the necessary guidance and technical support to all interested parties.

This process according to Madam Lumor was followed by a competitive tender resulting in a contract award to FlatC Marine Offshore Limited.

Touching on local content, the DMD of Tullow Ghana, Madam Lumor said seeing an increased participation by indigenous Ghanaian companies in the oil and gas industry has long been Tullow’s ambition adding that Tullow and its partners, with the support of key Government of Ghana stakeholders, have made significant strides over the past decade to increase local content capacity and capability.

The Deputy Energy Minister, Andrew Egyapa Mercer in his address at the event said Government has been a strong advocate for the participation of local companies in Ghana’s upstream oil and gas industry, as a way of creating economic opportunities and increasing financial value in the oil and gas value chain.

The Flat Confidence vessel he emphasized “is therefore evidence of the invaluable work done by both government and private sector actors to ensure that Ghanaians become critical players in the oil and gas industry”.

He said “the move also ties in perfectly with the vision of the President Nana Akufo-Addo for a Ghana that is beyond aid and which has competent Ghanaians taking critical positions in all sectors of the economy.”

He said Government continues to make huge strides in the oil and gas industry and referring to to the 2021 Resource Governance Index published by the Natural Resource Governance Institute said Ghana’s oil and gas sector scored 78 out of 100 points improving by 11 points since 2017 describing it as an impressive performance driven by improvements in the governance of licensing and national budgeting, together with continued improvements in the management of state institutions responsible for the sector.

Mr. Mercer also congratulated Tullow Ghana Limited for their commitment to ensuring the growth and participation of local companies in the oil and gas sector.

The Western Regional Minister, Mr Darko-Mensah commended the Tullow Ghana and its partners for taking the lead role in building local capacities for participation in the oil and gas sector.

He said with his passion for local participation and the development of the private sector, the Western Regional Coordinating Council is working to make the region a business hub and an investment destination in the country adding that such initiatives among other related ones all go to making the agenda a reality.