NNPC, TotalEnergies extend methane reduction partnership, deploy advanced emissions technology

Business, Corporate Affairs

ABUJA, Nigeria (NPA) — NNPC Limited and TotalEnergies have renewed their partnership to accelerate methane emissions reduction across Nigeria’s upstream oil and gas sector through the continued deployment of advanced emissions-monitoring technology.

The two companies signed an agreement extending the use of the Airborne Ultralight Spectrometer for Environmental Applications (AUSEA) technology for an additional 24 months.

The agreement was signed at the NNPC Towers in Abuja by NNPC Ltd’s Executive Vice President, Upstream, Mr. Udy Ntia, and TotalEnergies Country Chair and Managing Director, Mr. Matthieu Bouyer.

The renewed partnership builds on an earlier agreement signed in 2023 for the adoption of the AUSEA technology, which is designed to detect, measure, and reduce methane and carbon emissions across oil and gas operations.

According to NNPC, the initiative forms part of its broader strategy to meet gas flare reduction obligations and advance its decarbonisation objectives under the Oil and Gas Decarbonisation Charter (OGDC), the Oil and Gas Methane Partnership (OGMP) 2.0, and its commitment to achieving near-zero methane emissions by 2030.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Ntia expressed satisfaction with the results recorded during the first phase of the project and called for wider deployment of the technology across additional assets.

“Today’s signing represents a practical step in NNPC Limited’s journey to build a credible, transparent, and action-oriented decarbonisation programme,” he said.

“Through the AUSEA initiative, we are strengthening our ability to detect, quantify, and prioritise methane abatement opportunities using advanced measurement technology.”

He also advocated stronger progress reporting mechanisms to support regulatory compliance and stressed the importance of exploring opportunities for technology transfer.

On his part, TotalEnergies Senior Vice President for Africa, Mr. Mike Sangster, described the partnership as a reflection of the strong cooperation between both companies.

Sangster noted that TotalEnergies was the first oil-producing company in Nigeria to eliminate routine gas flaring across all its assets, adding that the AUSEA technology played a significant role in achieving that milestone.

He said the company remains committed to its target of achieving near-zero methane emissions by 2030.

The AUSEA system is a drone-based technology developed by TotalEnergies in collaboration with the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) and the University of Reims.

The technology enables operators to identify previously undetected emission sources, improve emissions reporting processes, assess flare combustion efficiency, and generate data needed to implement corrective operational measures.

Industry experts say methane reduction has become a major priority for the global energy sector because methane is one of the most potent greenhouse gases contributing to climate change.

The renewed partnership underscores growing efforts by energy companies operating in Nigeria to align with global environmental standards, reduce carbon footprints, and support the transition to more sustainable energy production.

NNPC said the collaboration with TotalEnergies will strengthen transparency, improve environmental performance, and contribute to Nigeria’s broader climate and energy transition goals.