Saturday 4 June 2016

Niger Delta Avengers Attacks: Shell confirms attack on export pipeline

Niger Delta militants
The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited, operator of the SPDC JV, has confirmed an attack on its export pipeline in the Niger Delta region.

The company says it noticed a leak from the 48inch Forcados export pipeline at a location between shoreline and the Forcados terminal in the western Niger Delta.

Shell’s confirmation is coming on the heels of a reported attack on the pipeline in the early hours of Friday.

Shell says it is yet to fully evaluate the potential impact and damage to the pipeline resulting from this latest incident.
“We have, however, mobilised appropriate oil spill response measures and will be conducting a joint investigation visit to the leak site with relevant stakeholders.
“We are currently focused on securing the pipeline to protect the environment.
“Given this latest incident and the wider security situation in the Niger Delta, we are unable to determine probable timing of resumption of exports from the Forcados terminal,” a statement by Shell said.
SPDC is the operator of the export line on behalf of the joint venture partners comprising NNPC which has 55 stake, SPDC 30%, Total E&P Nigeria Ltd 10% and Nigerian Agip Oil Company 5%.

A militant group, the Niger Delta Avengers, had earlier on Friday claimed it attacked oil facilities in the Niger Delta region.

The group said through its Twitter account that it had blown up a pipeline in Bayelsa State owned by Italy’s ENI, hours after attacks on another ENI pipeline as well as one belonging to Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Ltd (SPDC).

The group said it had blown up the Brass to Tebidaba crude oil line in Bayelsa.

It said it had “warned the SPDC not to go ahead with repair works but they refuse”.

Militancy has resurged in Nigeria’s Niger Delta in the last few weeks, with the Niger Delta Avengers attacking oil facilities in the region.

They had said they would bring oil exploration in the region to a zero level.

They are demanding for the region’s independence.

But President Muhammadu Buhari had asked security agencies to protect oil facilities in the the region and end attacks by the militant group.


Credit: Channels

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