Civil Wars & Terrorism

Iran-backed rebels drone attacks damage Saudi pumping stations

May 14, 2019 | Civil Wars & Terrorism, Middle East, Pipelines, Rigs & Vessels

London, UK | –  Saudi Arabia halted its main cross-country oil pipeline after a drone attack damaged pumping stations along the link, a strike claimed by Iran-backed rebels in neighbouring Yemeni. Oil prices rose. Saudi Aramco, the world’s biggest oil exporter, said that supplies of crude and products continued “normally without interruption,” the official Saudi Press Agency reported, citing the energy ministry. The state producer halted the pipeline transporting oil from eastern fields to the port of Yanbu on the western coast as a precautionary, …

South Sudan says U.S oil sanctions will undermine peace

March 26, 2018 | Civil Wars & Terrorism, Government & Regulations, Sudan & South Sudan

Juba, South Sudan |  – Sanctions imposed by the United States on 15 South Sudanese oil operators will undermine efforts to restore peace and stability in war-torn nation, government had said. The U.S. Department of State, in a 21 March statement, said was taking action against 15 South Sudan oil-related entities “whose revenues have contributed to the ongoing crisis in South Sudan.” The move, it explained, now implied that US, as well as non-US companies, would need a license to export, re-export, or transfer exports …

Nigeria to continue Lake Chad Basin oil exploration despite deaths

August 03, 2017 | Civil Wars & Terrorism, Exploration / Discoveries, Nigeria

Abuja, Nigeria | – Nigerian scientists will continue to search for oil in the restive Lake Chad Basin region despite a kidnapping of some researchers by suspected Boko Haram members, a university and state oil firm NNPC said July 31. Members of an oil prospecting team were kidnapped in the northeast’s restive Lake Chad Basin region on July 25, prompting a rescue bid that left at least 37 dead including members of the team, rescuers from the military and vigilantes, officials say. Three kidnapped members …

Ambush on Nigeria oil team may hamper Buhari’s recovery plan

August 03, 2017 | Civil Wars & Terrorism, Exploration / Discoveries, Government & Regulations, Nigeria

Boko Haram Islamists’ attack shows ‘new level of boldness’ Government has vowed to continue oil exploration in northeast London, UK | – An attack by Islamist militants on an oil exploration team in Nigeria’s northeast has hurt the government’s ambition to find new crude reserves and quashed hopes of a quick recovery of the West African nation’s least developed region. Militants of the Boko Haram Islamist group on July 25 staged an ambush on geologists, staff of the state-run oil company and soldiers in a …

At least 30 dead after attempted rescue of abducted oil team in northeast Nigeria

July 27, 2017 | Civil Wars & Terrorism, Exploration / Discoveries, Nigeria

Maiduguri, Nigeria | – At least 30 people including civilians and members of the military have died after an attempted rescue of an oil exploration team kidnapped by suspected Boko Haram militants in northeast Nigeria, officials told Reuters on Thursday. The team searching for oil in Nigeria’s conflict-ridden northeast was made up of members from the state oil firm and university researchers and staff, while the attempted rescue was carried out by military personnel and vigilantes. The military said a day earlier that it had …

Libya’s oil output down 252,000 barrels per day due to armed protests

March 29, 2017 | Civil Wars & Terrorism, Libya

London, UK |  – Oil production from the western Libyan fields of Sharara and Wafa has been blocked by armed protesters, reducing output by 252,000 barrels per day (bpd), a source at the National Oil Corporation (NOC) said on Tuesday. NOC declared force majeure on loadings of Sharara crude from the Zawiya oil terminal in the west of the country and Wafa condensate loadings from the Mellitah terminal. Supplies were stopped by the shutdown of pipelines leading from the fields to Zawiya refinery and port, …

BP, Statoil to withdraw staff from Algerian plants after militants attack

March 21, 2016 | Algeria, Civil Wars & Terrorism

London, UK | – British BP and Norway’s Statoil will withdraw staff from two gas plants in Algeria after an attack by militants on one of the sites in the North African country, the companies said on Monday. Militants attacked the In Salah gas plant, operated with state-owned Sonatrach, with rockets on Friday, causing no casualties or damage. Al Qaeda’s North Africa branch claimed responsibility for the attack. Algeria’s energy infrastructure has been heavily protected by the army, especially since a 2013 attack on the …

Russian, Nigerian sailors kidnapped off coast of Nigeria

February 27, 2016 | Civil Wars & Terrorism, Nigeria

London, UK | – Two sailors, one Russian and the other Nigerian, have been kidnapped from a ship belonging to French oil-industry-services company Bourbon off Nigeria’s coast, the company says. The ship was hijacked by pirates in the Gulf of Guinea, but the crew managed to send a distress call. Nigeria’s navy assaulted the ship and rescued most of the crew. However, the hijackers got away with two hostages, authorities said. Bourbon said on February 24 that 10 crew members were “back on board the vessel …