Ghana joins oil producing nations as first oil flows
Ghana on Wednesday joined the league of oil producing countries when it officially poured its first oil at the Jubilee Oil Field offshore Cape Three Points in the Western Region.
At exactly 1000 hours, President John Evans Atta Mills steered the wheel on the control device of the Floating Production Storage and Off-loading vessel (FPSO) Kwame Nkrumah to initiate the flow of Ghana’s Jubilee Oil.
He also unveiled a plaque to mark the commencement of commercial production of oil and toured the 300-metre FSPO.
President Mills in a special navy blue overall costume with the inscription “Tullow” at the back and wearing a helmet with protective spectacles, led a team of high ranking members of government and officials of Tullow Partners on board the FPSO Kwame Nkrumah.
The ceremony on the FSPO was used to name Ghana’s oil and gas as “Jubilee,” to mark the beginning of the first barrel of light-sweet crude from the Jubilee Oil Field, 60 nautical miles off-shore the West Cape-Three Points in the West Region of Ghana. The Jubilee Oil Field has an estimated 1.6 billion barrels.
The naming ceremony would also pave the way for Ghana’s oil to be recognised on the international oil market and make it easy for the marketing of the oil on the world market.
In brief remarks, President Mills said after a long wait, Ghana’s dream of becoming an oil producing country had become a reality.
He asked everybody to continue to work hard, especially those on the Jubilee Field as it placed a serious responsibility on everyone.
He entreated those in leadership positions to make sure that oil production in Ghana becomes a blessing to transform the nation.
President Mills stressed that natural resources should become a blessing rather than a curse and assured everybody of his fullest blessing.
Former presidents Jerry John Rawlings and John Agyekum Kufuor, traditional rulers, politicians, diplomats and hundreds of people attended the ceremony.
The Jubilee Oil production is expected to yield 120,000 barrels per day at the peak period.
The Jubilee partners are Tullow, Kosmos, Anadarko, Sabre and the E.O. Group.
Source: GNA