Hungary Interested In Nigeria’s Oil And Gas Sector

The Hungarian Government has indicated interest to purchase crude oil and Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) from Nigeria.

This was disclosed by the Hungarian Ambassador to Nigeria, Professor Gabor Ternak, who during a courtesy call on the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr. Maikanti Baru, in Abuja.

Ternak said the decision to import crude oil and LNG from Nigeria was informed by the need to bridge the current supply gap being experienced in Hungary.

“Hungary depends on oil importation to serve its energy needs as the country is non-oil producing. We want to diversify our sources of crude oil and LNG import and we are considering purchasing these products from Nigeria,” Ambassador Ternak stated.

The NNPC’s Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Mr. Ndu Ughamadu made this known in a statement on Wednesday.

He said the Nigerian crude oil would be of great help to Hungarian Refineries involved in large scale commercial refining.

The Hungarian envoy stated that Nigeria could also leverage on the bi-lateral relationship with his country by engaging the services of Hungarian firms that specialize in repairs, maintenance and building of refineries as well as medical services.

He said that Hungarian universities with many years of oil and gas engineering expertise, could assist Nigeria in the areas of capacity building of oil workers.

In his remarks, the NNPC GMD, Dr. Maikanti Baru, stated that the Corporation had commenced tendering process for the selection of the 2018 crude oil off-takers, adding that Hungarian companies could utilize the opportunity by participating in the exercise to maximize value from direct purchase, rather than going through a third party.

“If you don’t participate in the tendering process, you would have to buy the products from one of the traders. However, if you participate with companies and refineries that meet our requirements, they could be shortlisted as off-takers” the GMD averred.

He explained that Hungary could purchase LNG through “spot cargo,” an arrangement in which excess production is given to registered off-takers with the Nigerian Liquified Natuaral Gas Limited (LNNG).

“Normally, gas business is a long-term business and NLNG is not different, we already have existing 20-year contract that will expire by 2022. Nevertheless, we have what is called “spot cargoes”, when there is excess production, and the current contractors have gotten there share as enshrined in the contract, the excess production will be given to registered off-takers in the system,” Dr. Baru averred.