UTM Offshore CEO Honoured For Pioneering FLNG In Africa

Managing director and chief executive officer (CEO) of UTM Offshore Ltd, owners of Nigeria’s first indigenous Floating Liquified Natural Gas (FLNG), Dr. Julius Rone has been crowned in Paris as the award winner of Invest in Africa Energy (IAE) Forum for 2024 for his pioneering impact on Africa’s oil and gas sector.

Dr. Rone, who was conferred with the Changemaker for Pioneering Gas Monetisation by FLNG Award, by the body of African oil and gas industry giants, on Tuesday in a grand ceremony in Paris, France.

The Award which is in recognition of Dr. Rone’s revolutionary contributions to the development of the oil and gas industry in Nigeria and Africa was presented to him by Marcel Abeke Minister of Petroleum of Gabon and other industry giants; NJ Ayuk, executive chairman of the African Energy Chamber; Armel Simondin, CEO of Perenco; Tim O’Hanlon, Senior Advisor to Panoro Energy; and Jean Michel-Jacoulot, CEO of Trident Energy.

Speaking at the event, executive chairman of the African Energy Chamber, NJ Ayuk stated that the energy industry has “always been composed of champions who serve so much.”

Dr. Rone, who earlier this month also won the Oil and Gas Personality in the Daily Independent Newspapers Year 2023 Award in addition to array of other national and international recognitions and awards, described the IAE Changemaker Award a further call to intensify efforts and commitment towards the growth and development of gas productivity in Africa.

“This vision and commitment towards developing our gas resource to benefit our nation, content and humanity in general has been the underlying motivation which among other things, birthed the establishment of the UTM Floating Liquified Natural Gas (UTM FLNG), the first indigenous floating liquefied natural gas company in Nigeria”, Rone said.

Thanking the IAE Forum for the Award and recognition, Rone assured that his company will not relent in its pioneering roles in developing opportunities that abound in the gas sector.

When completed the UTM FLNG which has already moved to the Engineering, Procurement, Construction, Installation and Commissioning (EPCIC) stage is expected to drive energy transition in Nigeria with a production capacity of 2.8 Million Tons Per Annum (MTPA) made up of 2.14 MTPA of LNG; 0.5 MTPA of LPG and 0.18 MTPA of Condensate.

With its production capacity, the company is expected to create thousands of more jobs and investment opportunities in Nigeria and Africa as well as reduce Nigeria’s carbon footprint and associated health and environmental hazards

Also honoured at the ceremony is Benoît de la Fouchardiere, former group general manager of Perenco and current CEO of multi-service company, Dixstone, who was conferred with the Legendary Service to Africa Award.

Fouchardiere was recognised for his roles in leading Perenco to evolve into a regional leader in integrated oil and gas development with operations cutting across the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Chad, Gabon, Cameroon and the Republic of Congo.