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.
According to the regulator, accurate measurement will curb revenue losses, strengthen reserves management, and free public funds for infrastructure, healthcare, and education, while positioning Nigeria as a regional hub for metering excellence.
“Previously, operators depended on foreign calibration services, incurring shipping costs, delays, and foreign-exchange outflows. The local plant retains that value within the domestic economy.”
EATL Managing Director/CEO, Dr. Emmanuel Okon, said the project emerged from Nigeria’s local content drive after indigenous companies were encouraged in 2020 to build in-country technical capacity.
“Without dependable calibration, even advanced meters produce inconsistent narratives. With it, we align on a unified truth,” he said.
He said the facility incorporates traceable standards, automated data capture, and documented uncertainty budgets certified to international benchmarks, allowing regulators, auditors, and commercial partners to rely on a single verified dataset.
