Dickson, now a Senator of the Federal Republic and Sylva, a current minister of state of Petroleum, whose ministry supervises the agencies handling the illegal sale of the oil well are known political enemies who also belong to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and All Progressives Congress, APC respectively.
In a leaked memo to the Directorate of Petroleum Resources, DPR, which pointblanknews.com has a copy, Senator Dickson had a few weeks ago wrote a Letter to the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) that the regulatory body should change/remove the name of Bayelsa State Oil Company Limited and replace it with his private company, Halkin Exploration and Production Limited.
According to pointblanknews.com investigation, Atala marginal field was discovered by Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC) in 1982.
When the President Olusegun Obasanjo administration through the DPR advertised for prospective mining operators of the various marginal fields in the geographic Niger Delta and over 65% of them in Ijaw land, the Chief D.S.P Alamieyeseigha and Dr. Goodluck Jonathan administration decided to bid for it in 2003.
The idea was to make Bayelsans participants and operators in the oil sector and not to be spectators. It was also meant to shore up the revenue of the state.
It is on record that Bayelsa State is among the few if not the only state government that owns a marginal oil field which is a huge asset of the state.
Bayelsa State Government and SPDC had agreement in 2004 for the management of the field. Thereafter, Bayelsa Oil as it were, in July, 2005 entered into agreement Farm-in transaction with Hardy Oil for the management of the Atala Marginal Field.
Few years later due to funding challenges and other reasons, the Bayelsa State Government terminated her contract with Hardy Oil and brought in Century Exploration and Production Limited (CEPL) an indigenous company that was established in 2008.
Century Exploration and Production Limited (CEPL) executed a 35% Farm-In Agreement with Bayelsa State Oil Company for the development of the state-owned Atala Marginal Field (OML 46).
DPR in 2013 also revalidated and renewed the Atala Marginal Field (OML 46) operating license as CEPL was making appreciative progress.
At a time the Bayelsa State Government under Dickson did everything to frustrate the efforts of CEPL and Bayelsa State Oil Company through deliberate starvation of funds, and arbitrary sacking of the management and replacing them with people he felt could do his bidding.
As at the time those ugly development were happening, Century Exploration and Production Limited which is the Technical Partner and the Bayelsa State Oil Company had already developed up to Test Products with a Crude Cargo of 1,000 Barrels that were awaiting evacuation. They were only waiting for approval from the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR).
But because of the ulterior motive and hidden agenda of then Governor Henry Seriake Dickson, he deliberately refused to renew the Operating License of the Atala Marginal Field. He allowed the license to expire.
Based on the above development, the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) formally announced on April 6, 2020 the Revocation of the Marginal Oilfield License it issued to Atala Oil Field.
To many Bayelsans and other stakeholders, the revocation was
blamed on the political differences between Dickson and Sylva. But nobody was ready for the shocking exposee as the two ex governors are actually in sync as to strip the state of the oil well.
However, on the 28th of December, 2020 the Bayelsa State Government under Governor Douye Diri expressed her resolve to challenge the DPR revocation of the license in court because the government cannot afford to loose her 40% Equity in the Atala Marginal Oilfield it has invested so much fortune which would have been channeled into her infrastructure and human capital projects.
Due to the protest that greeted the Federal Government/DPR action and other behind the public glare negotiations, the APC led Federal Government graciously approved and directed the immediate reinstatement of the revoked Licenses to their original owners.
Bothered about the development, Dickson had gone ahead to write to the DPR to change the name of Bayelsa State Oil Company Limited and replace it with his Halkin Exploration and Production Limited.
In a memo to the Minister of State, Petroleum Resources, Auwalu Sarki dated February 28, 2021 and titled RE: APPLICATION TO ASSIGN THE ATALA MARGINAL FIELD (OML 46) TO HALKIN EXPOLRATION AND PRODUCTION LIMITED reads:
“Reference is made to the letter PRES/88/MPR/72 dated 24th November 2020 from Chief of Staff (CoS) to Mr. President on the Report of the 2020 Marginal Fleid Bid Round, in which Mr. President approved that ten (10) revoked Marginal Fields be re-awarded on discretionary basis to qualified companies with consideration given to the previous operators of the respective fields subject to the demonstration of technical/financdal capacity and payment of applicable Good and Valuable Consideration (GVC).
“The Honourable Minister of State, Petroleum Resources (HMSPR)is respectfully invited to note that Halkin Exploration and Production Limited (Halkin) has expressed Its interest on Atala Marginal Field which Is one of the revoked assets.
“Halkin stated that in 2019, the company, through one of Its subsidiary companies, received the approval of the board of Bayelsa Oil Company Limited (BOCL former operators of Atala Fleid) to farm-in to 41% of the field through the execution of Farm/in agreement and Fleld Management Service agreement with BOCL. The company daims to have invested over sixty million US dollars (US$60,000,000:00) to revive the asset in the process. The company further states that the decision to submit an expression of interest on the field was based on the review of an independent audit of the asset’s reserve and Competent Persons report.
“The Department’s assessment of Halkin indicates that the company has the potential to immediately bring the field to production and progress with full development of the asset Including the drilling of more wells and production/utillization of the fleld’s gas resources.
“The HMSPR is further invited to note that the GVC of Atala was calculated by the Department on a based case of US $40/bbl which amounts to eight million, Eighty seven thousand, one hundred and twenty nine US dollars and eighty six cents US ($8,087,129.86) only.
“Consequently, It Is our considered opinion that the asset be reawarded to Halkin Exploration and Production Limited, subject to the payment of the calculated GVC within forty: five (45) calendar days, in line with Mr. President’s approval referenced above.”
In a memo the Secretary/Legal Adviser of BOCL, Barr. Oruah C. Mark, to Chairman of the board, dated September 5, 2019 said that he was under pressure by the then managing director, Ebikabowei Dorgu to authenticate the transfer of the oil well from BOCL to Halkin Exploration and Production Limited or be sacked .
Meanwhile National President, Niger Delta Nonviolence Agitators Forum (NDNAF), Comrade Wisdom Oniekpar Ikuli has condemned the attempt by the two former governors to forcefully take over the oil well.
Comrade Ikuli who was a former acting President, Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide in a petition said both Alamieyeseigha and Jonathan actually had the opportunity to convert this marginal field to themselves at a time when the consciousness, awareness and enlightenment of the people have not risen to the present level, yet they never did.
“Bayelsans are aware of how the Managing Director of the Bayelsa State Oil Company cried out that then Henry Seriake Dickson wanted him to sign out the sell of the state-owned marginal field to Dickson’s company but he refused.
“This development is not only strange, shameful, uncharitable, unpatriotic, condemnable and unacceptable but it goes to really justify the position of those of us who vehemently opposed Dickson’s draconian rulership of Bayelsa State as his private estate.
“Over One Trillion Naira excluding other grants and supports accrued to Bayelsa State during the infamous and inglorious Restoration administration, yet Dickson never completed one single road in Bayelsa State during his 8years failed administration. Look at the shameful supposed Judges Quarters at Opolo. Look at the purported Shopping Mall near Berger that he claimed he expended over One Billion Naira to build. Look at the state of the Sagbama-Ekeremor Road. Look at the way and manner he maltreated Civil Servants like slaves. He deliberately refused to pay Pension and Gratuities for 8years. He refused to pay Students Bursary and others.
“This is same man that treated Bayelsans like a conquered people. He used Martial Law to rule Bayelsans. Bayelsans especially members of the opposition lived in fear of the unknown. At a time Bayelsans could not walk freely the moment it was 8pm in the evening. Cultists and Criminals were celebrated as Lord’s, while Intellectuals and Intellectualism were relegated to the background.
“Dickson made Bayelsans who were once envy of other Nigerians to become objects of mockery because of the Hunger he used as instrument of control. He deliberately starved Bayelsans and made Bayelsans to loose their self-worth, self-esteem and self-confidence. Bayelsans lost their voices and their enviable among comity of states.
“Like other Bayelsans and the entire Ijaw nation, I am happy that the above ugly stories have changed since the inception of the Prosperity administration even in the midst of the present economic challenges facing the whole world due to the outbreak of the Coronavirus pandemic and it’s attendant economic woes and hardship.”
He however urged all Bayelsans and the entire Ijaw nation to vehemently oppose the current attempt to take over Atala Marginal Oilfield which belong to all Bayelsans. He saod one individual who has caused Bayelsans unimaginable pains cannot continue to inflict so much pains on Bayelsans.
