Concept Note

Overview

The Nigeria Hydrocarbon Measurement Conference (NiHMEC) serves as a platform where stakeholders from Nigeria's petroleum industry and beyond gather to share knowledge and experiences on hydrocarbon measurement and accounting issues. Recognizing that flow measurement is pivotal in quantifying oil and gas revenue, NiHMEC has captured the attention and interest of all stakeholders within Nigeria's petroleum sector.

NiHMEC 2023 was highly successful, thanks to sponsorships from First E&P, NUPRC, NMDPRA, Seplat Energy, Waltersmith, Aradel Hodings, and TREXM Holdings. The event saw an impressive turnout of 49 companies, with the presentation of 25 technical papers and 2 keynote speeches. Discussions at NiHMEC 2023 encompassed all aspects of flow measurement and hydrocarbon accounting. Beyond conversations about advancements in measurement technology, participants actively engaged in dialogues about enhancing measurement practices to minimize losses and promote sustainable operations.

Generally, stakeholders were very positive about the future of NiHMEC and advocated for continuous support, expressing optimism about their future participation and that of their respective companies. Two issues that gained much traction were the involvement of non-technical disciplines in discussions on hydrocarbon measurement and accounting, and transparency in hydrocarbon measurement processes. It was noted that clauses regarding metering requirements often surface in important commercial contracts, such as crude oil handling/transportation agreements and gas supply/purchase agreements. These clauses usually have technical implications that should align with the legal and commercial intent. A misalignment between the commercial/legal intent and the technical connotation of hydrocarbon metering clauses in commercial contract documents presents a risk when disputes arise. Technical personnel, responsible for the performance of measurement equipment and the accuracy of hydrocarbon quantification, must be aware and involved, especially when drafting metering clauses in commercial contracts with third parties, buyers, or suppliers. Additionally, disputes arise when a partner or partners involved feel that the hydrocarbon measurement and accounting processes of one or some of the partners in a shared facility are not transparent. This underscores the need for process transparency and adherence to regulatory requirements and international best practices to reduce legal disputes and financial risk exposure.

Given this context, participants recognized the need to encourage legal and commercial professionals to participate in future NiHMEC conferences to understand how disputes can arise and how they could be avoided. Therefore, the theme of NiHMEC 2024 has been designed to facilitate multidisciplinary knowledge sharing on matters pertaining to hydrocarbon measurement and accounting, to minimize disputes arising from transparency issues and perceived system inefficiencies in measurement. The Theme for NiHMEC 2024 is: Advancing Efficiency in Hydrocarbon Measurement and Accounting.

Conference venue

NiHMEC 2024 will be a 3-day event and will be held at Federal Palace Hotel, Lagos. There will be a 1-day pre-conference-A Hydrocarbon Measurement School (HMS) on 8th October 2024, where industry experts will deliver short courses. The main conference will take place on 9th-10th October 2024.

Conference subthemes and topics

Discussions at NiHMEC 2024 will be organized under four thematic areas, as listed below. We invite contributions from regulators, operators, OEMs, engineering companies, consultants, and academics, both in Nigeria and worldwide, to submit the titles of their presentations and summaries for selection by the technical advisory team. The thematic areas for NiHMEC 2024 are:

Upstream production measurement and fiscal metering
Measurement for sustainable oil field operations and environmental stewardship.
Enhancing transparency and efficiency in hydrocarbon accounting.
Loss reduction in natural gas pipeline and petroleum downstream operations.

Conference Registration

Registration for NiHMEC 2024 will be done via the website. Once the web portal is opened for registration, all the stakeholders shall be informed through email and social media platforms. The registration fee will be available on the website. There will be the option for participants to register and pay at the conference venue.

Technical Advisory Committee

The Technical Advisory Committee (TAC), chaired by Mr. Osten Olorunsola, comprises leading subject matter experts in the domain areas of hydrocarbon measurement, metering, and hydrocarbon accounting within the petroleum industry. They are:

Osten Olorunsola ---- Chairman, Energy Institute, Nigeria
Sunday Kanshio, PhD ---- Managing Partner, Fleissen & Company
Dr. Femi Olarewaju ---- Chief Strategist, Westpaq Engineering
Andy Orji ---- Measurement Optimisation Engineer, Chevron
Godfrey Omokaro ---- Head Metering, SPDC
Kenneth Uwulaka ---- Manager, Production Engineering & Optimization, SIPC
Mary Alugbin ---- Senior Measurement Consultant
Remilekun Adeeyo ---- Hydrocarbon Accountant, Heritage Energy Operational Service
Dr Muhammad Abba ---- Founder/CEO, Nordatech Energy Ltd