Heritage Energy Operational Services Limited, operators of the OML 30 Joint Venture between NNPC Exploration and Production Limited, and Shoreline Natural Resources Limited has won the Federal University of Petroleum Resources (Dupre)/African Child Foundation’s award as the Best Education Support Oil and Gas Company of the Year.
HEOSL’s General Manager, Government, Joint Ventures and External Relations, Mr Adesola Adebawo, while receiving the award on behalf of the company during the presentation ceremony held at FUPRE Sports Ground on Monday, reiterated the commitment of the oil firm to host community development.
FUPRE Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Akpofure Rim-Rukeh, represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Administration, Prof. Mrs. Doris Ogoleka, disclosed that the awardees were picked through a competitive and diligent nomination process.
The VC averred that HEOSL and her Joint Venture Partners “have made noticeable impacts in the society, hence the award.”
Consequently, HEOSL was given the “award for actively supporting education through the company’s OML 30 scholarships and Student Industrial Work Experience Scheme.”
Highlighting Heritage Energy’s huge support for education over the years, the VC stated that more than 11,000 scholarship payments of over N620 million have been made by the oil firm to host community scholars between 2019 and 2023.
Additionally, 495 Nigerian university students have benefited from industrial training opportunities, receiving stipends of over N65 million cumulatively for the same period.
He said, “This is a testament to the dedication of Heritage Energy to the well-being of its host communities.”
Congratulating the company, the VC said that “this should be a wake-up call for the awardees to do more,” just as he requested that more FUPRE graduates should be engaged by the awardees in the future.
Receiving the award on behalf of HEOSL, Mr Adebawo thanked the award governing council for finding the company worthy of recognition.
Speaking with journalists shortly after receiving the award, Adebawo said, “It is very gratifying for Heritage Energy to be recognized by FUPRE for the noble roles we have played both in the communities and educational institutions.”
Adebawo, who was accompanied to the event by Barrister Chisa Otokpa, General Manager, Legal and Company Secretary; Lon Mahan, Director of Operations and Prince Jeremiah Oharisi, Head of Community Relations, said, “We as an organization (Heritage Energy) feel honoured, appreciated and it is an endorsement of the quality of our leadership and the recognition of the caring heart our organization has.”
He maintained that “Heritage Energy is always ready for collaboration with its host communities for development. No development that can take place in a chaotic environment.”
The event which had in attendance principal officers and staff of FUPRE and the team from African Child Foundation, also witnessed the presentation of awards in different categories to Tantita Security Services, First Hydrocarbon, Librod Energy, Well Fluid Energy Services, International Energy Services, among others.