Shell shuts Nigerian pipeline again, loses 150,000 bpd

October 10, 2013 | Health, Safety & Environment, Pipelines

Shell_logo4 (460 x 300)Lagos – Shell said it has again shut down a key supply pipeline in southern Nigeria owing to leaks, losing production of 150,000 barrels per day of crude, barely two weeks after repairing the affected line.

The Nigerian subsidiary of the Anglo-Dutch oil giant, SPDC said late on Wednesday that the Trans Niger Pipeline (TNP) was shut down “following reports of new leaks, barely 10 days after the line was repaired from crude oil theft incidents.”

It said: “Some 150,000 barrels oil is deferred.”

Shell said the latest leaks occurred at the oil-rich but restive southern Ogoniland, adding that the TNP was shut “as a precautionary measure after receiving reports of the incidents.”

The company said it would send an investigation team to determine the cause and impact of the spills.

The pipeline was shut down last month for repairs after two separate crude oil theft incidents.

Some 150,000 barrels of oil and 500 million standard cubic feet of gas per day were deferred before the line was repaired.

Oil theft is a major problem in Nigeria, and Shell has consistently blamed its losses on thieves vandalising its pipelines.

However, environmental activists argue that Shell does not do enough to prevent such incidents and effectively clean up the damage when they do occur.

Nigeria’s oil-producing region is badly polluted from decades of oil spills, and Shell is the biggest producer in the west African country, where it has been operating for over 50 years.

Nigeria is Africa’s largest exporter, producing some two million barrels a day.

 

1 thought on “Shell shuts Nigerian pipeline again, loses 150,000 bpd

  1. G.B Osborne

    Greetings Fellow & Concerned Nigerians:

    Review of Shell company oil thief problem to Me, indicates that the problem with shell began from & by- Shell company own employees who are coordinating their repair schulde with outsiders. Thus, Shell oil company needs to conduct its own internal investigation on all its repair crews (past & present).

    The aforesaid methodology is indeed well coordinated. This is how….?

    Whenever the Shell company repair crews are working to repair a serious lick in the pipe line, the thief(s) are “at the same time” opening a new hole in the oil line while the old flow to the line is cut off from the main terminal. Got IT! !!

    So what does this mean? it means it is both an insider & outsider robbery job that’s well coordinated indeed. Got IT! !!

    So! What does Shell oil company & Nigeria do?

    First: No more Nigerians would be allowed to work on the oil pipe lines unless they have received top security clearance from both Shell oil & from a special unite of the top security agency in Nigeria; to be developed by Me & Me only on both sides of the scale.

    Secondly: A new security service procedure would also be developed by Me for all vessels entering & leaving the oil loading / shipping points.

    Thirdly, interal-continental security oil pipeline systems within Nigeria would be redesigned by Me for Shell oil company & our Nigeria government.

    Shell oil company would not be excused from maintaining it’s contractual obligations to Nigeria since it has now been found that they may gave contributed largely to the theft of oil.

    Accordingly, we will work together to resolve the problem with high priority from both sides.

    Hon. G. Bolaji Osborne – Nigeria Next President -2015.
    -Your Great Leader & Servant –
    PhD. Law & Public Policy.

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