By Jeremiah Udoh
Vietz, the German manufacturer of pipeline equipment, is keen on taking advantage of the increasing market for piped hydrocarbons in West Africa.
“Ghana is constructing a series of pipelines, of about 140km length in total, to transport natural gas from its offshore Jubilee field to power plants in the country. British investor Victoria Oil and Gas, is feeding natural gas to manufacturing companies in Douala, Cameroon and the Nigerian state has invested over $2Billion on new pipeline infrastructure, aimed at transporting billions of cubic feet of gas from the Niger Delta basin, to power plants in the east and west of the country”, says Jaiye Doherty, the company’s representative in the sub-region.
Until 2011, Doherty organized business interface between West African entrepreneurs and German manufacturers. He had worked for the Goethe Institut for over 10 years before then. In 2012, he decided to strike out on his own. He thinks that Vietz will do well in the growing pipeline business in the continent. “The company manufactures internal pneumatic line-up clamps as well as hydraulic external line-up clamps for pipe dimensions up to DN 1600’s”, Doherty explains. “Their light, flexible and sturdy welding tractors are being operated all over the world”. He boasts that Vietz, which has offices in four continents around the world, has over “40 years Construction experience “ and “is your first point of contact for the manufacture of machinery and equipment for pipeline construction.
“They have lightweight, flexible and robust weld beads, and pipe bending machines suitable for every need”.
Doherty thinks that Nigeria, for one is a good place to start in Vietz’s push in West Africa. “The country is focusing on the need for a denser gas grid than is currently available. A slew of pipeline contracting companies, most of them local, are attracting piles and piles of business and need equipment that will enable them construct pipelines of high integrity”.
