By Ayomide Otitoju
Energy giant Shell has announced plans to expand its global liquefied natural gas (LNG) capacity by up to 12 million metric tons by the end of the decade, with Nigeria among the key countries expected to benefit from the investment.
According to a Reuters report, the projects — also spanning the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Canada, and Qatar — are already under construction. Cederic Cremers, Shell’s President of Integrated Gas, disclosed the development during Wood Mackenzie’s Gas, LNG and the Future of Energy Conference held in London on Wednesday.
“(There is) up to 12 million tons of additional (LNG) capacity that we’re adding between now and the end of the decade,” Cremers stated. “That is not an ambition. Those are all projects that are currently under construction.”
While the report did not provide a breakdown of how much capacity will be added specifically in Nigeria, the development aligns with Nigeria’s national energy strategy, which positions gas as the country’s transitional fuel.
Nigeria has declared the decade between 2020 and 2030 as its “Decade of Gas,” with ambitions to monetise its estimated 208 trillion cubic feet of natural gas reserves to drive industrial growth, generate revenue, and create jobs. The country currently produces over 3 trillion cubic feet of gas annually, placing it 12th among the world’s top gas-producing nations.
Shell’s planned expansion is seen as a potential boost to Nigeria’s gas aspirations amid ongoing efforts to attract foreign investment and revamp energy infrastructure.
