The Federal Government has moved to tighten accountability in the crude oil sector with the inauguration of a Gravimetric Multifaceted Flow Metering Calibration Facility in Eket, Akwa Ibom State, by the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC). The project, the first of its kind in West Africa, addresses a long-standing industry challenge: uncertainty in crude measurement. For decades, inaccurate metering has contributed to disputes, revenue leakages, and reliance on overseas laboratories for calibration. Speaking at the commissioning, Commission Chief Executive of the NUPRC, Mrs. Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, commended Engineering Automation Technology Limited (EATL), the indigenous firm that developed the facility, for its vision, belief, courage, and patriotism in investing in the state-of-the-art project. Eyesan, who was represented by the Deputy Director for Development in the NUPRC, Mr. Manuel Ibituroko, described the plant as “a transformative leap forward”, featuring zero-touch automation, tamper-proof audit trails, and high-precision gravimetric standards designed to eliminate human error and minimise downtime. She said the facility can calibrate turbine, ultrasonic, Coriolis, electromagnetic, and positive displacement meters — critical devices used to determine volumes of crude flowing through pipelines and export terminals — thereby improving operational efficiency, regulatory compliance, and production optimisation.

Daily Trust