The strategic gas supply agreement entered into by a leading fertilizer producer in the country, Notore Chemical Industries, with Eroton Exploration and Production Company, an indigenous oil and gas producer, in 2015 has enhanced production of fertilisers from the Notore facility, giving the fertiliser, agro-allied, petrochemical and power company, a strong competitive edge over other producers.

Due to the availability of gas to the Notore plant, production days per annum increased from 193 in 2014 to 304 days in 2016. Production was previously constrained because of the number of forced shutdowns the plant had experienced. Production is expected to increase further to 100 per cent of the plant’s installed capacity after the next planned turnaround maintenance, which is due to happen in a few months.

Speaking on the enhanced productivity from the fertilizer plant, the Group Managing Director/CEO of Notore, Mr. Onajite Okoloko, said the partnership between his company and Eroton has ended the gas supply shortfalls, which hampered productivity at Notore between 2013 and 2014.

He said Notore also invested in a maintenance programme on the Onne fertilizer plant in the fourth quarter of 2016 to improve the reliability of the plant, adding that plans were in place for another scheduled maintenance in the first quarter of 2019, in order to optimize production from the fertilizer plant.

Source: THIS DAY