THE Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) may soon stop supply of crude oil to the Port Harcourt Refinery following two major fire outbreaks at K-Dere in Gokana Local Council of Rivers State.
A source in the SPDC who pleaded anonymity disclosed to The Guardian that one of the major fire incidents was discovered along the Bonny Terminal of Port Harcourt Refinery crude supply line at K-Dere yesterday morning.
This threatens the supply of over 100,000 barrels of crude oil to the Port Harcourt refinery.
It was learnt that the 24-inch pipeline, which belongs to the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), conveys crude from Bonny to Port Harcourt refinery. And in order to starve the fire of fuel, SPDC was considering cutting crude supply to the refinery.
Our source said: “If we have a fire, the easiest way to stop it is to cut off crude supply to that pipeline. In our attempt to stop this ravaging fire, the refinery may be affected because we have to stop crude supply. We may suspend that line so that we don’t feed it.”
The second fire, discovered on the Bomu – Bonny Trans-Niger Pipeline, reportedly started on Sunday. This pipeline conveys most of SPDC’s crude from its on-shore locations to the Bonny export terminal.
The Trans-Niger Pipeline is a key national asset, which evacuates SPDC and other companies production for export at Bonny Terminal
The two fire incidents occurred close to the points where two previous ones were reported last year on the same facilities. Those of last year were blamed on sabotage.
K-Dere has been the scene of recent protests by some youths, after the SPDC tried to secure its Bomu manifold and fix the lighting system there to improve illumination and security at night.
The second pipeline belongs to the SPDC and conveys its and other third party products from the on-shore area to Bonny.
Officials of the company, which does not produce oil and gas in Ogoni-land having suspended operations there in 1993, have mobilised fire-fighting and repair crews to tackle the situation.
SPDC spokesperson, Precious Okolobo, who confirmed the incident, said: “We do not know the cause of the fire but the two fire incidents last year were caused by sabotage. We do not know the cause of this fire yet, but we have mobilised our fire-fighting and pipeline repair teams. They are on standby and ready to go in.”