SITUATION
The Uquo Gas Facility Plant in Ekit-Eket, Akwa Ibom State was constructed by the Uquo JV, formed by two independent, indigenous oil & gas companies, Frontier Oil Limited and Seven Energy, and formally commissioned by the President of Nigeria. The Uquo gas field (OML13) was one of the 24 marginal fields awarded by the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) to indigenous operators as part of the Federal Government of Nigeria’s Marginal Field programme in the February 2003.
TASK
The JV retained the services of C&F Porter Novelli to provide it with communications support that will introduce the Uquo JV to the public as an indigenous pioneer that has delivered on expectations and one that can also replicate this ‘Uquo JV successes’ in future marginal field operations to the benefit of all stakeholders.
APPROACH
Uquo JV was positioned as an indigenous trailblazer in the marginal field operations and willing developer of Nigeria’s non-associated gas, by campaigning its achievements which spanned seismic survey through production and transportation of the gas to power stations. Implementation was undertaken within the context of the official commissioning of the facility. The tactics deployed ran on two broad tracks: extensive content development to provide perspective and dynamic storytelling for purposes of driving the message. Content development entailed production of brochures, photo bank, audio visual documentary, advertorials, and drafting of op-ed pieces With a press office installed, media facility tours, press conferences, media briefings, media interviews, and television appearances were utilised in getting the story of the story out. All of these tactics came to a highpoint at the official commissioning of the gas plant.
RESULTS
Communication objectives were achieved as C&F Porter Novelli got media buy-in to the entire programme, which resulted in huge media coverage – number of mentions, tonality, timeliness, and alignment with agreed key messages.