Shell Petroleum Development Company has said that some of its oil production has been stopped due to an attack on one of its pipelines that feeds the Forcados export terminal on Wednesday.
A statement released by the oil company said: “Shell can confirm that the Trans Ramos pipeline at Aghoro-2 community in Bayelsa State was attacked last night (June 17). Some oil production has been shut in to avoid potential environmental impact.”
In an email statement to NEXT, the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta through Jomo Gbomo, its spokesperson, claimed responsibility for the attack, saying: “At about 20:30hrs today, Wednesday, June 17, 2009, fighters from the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta in furtherance of Hurricane Piper Alpha (our campaign to cripple the entire oil and gas export of the Federal Republic of Nigeria), destroyed with high explosives a major crude oil trunk line in Bayelsa State belonging to Shell.”
According to Mr. Gbomo, “This delivery line which supplies the Forcados export terminal takes feed from the Tunu, Opukusu, and Ugbotubu flow stations.”
Earlier on Wednesday, Shell extended a force majeure, which frees it from legal obligations arising from inability to meet customers supply, on its Forcados shipments for the rest of June and all of July. This extension was the second after an earlier extension last month to cover May loadings.
The force majeure was first imposed in March for outstanding March and April shipments following an attack on its Trans-Escravos pipeline. Forcados exports were meant to be around 184,000 and 285, 000 barrels per day in March and April respectively.
Precious Okolobo, a Shell spokesperson, in a text message to NEXT, explained that it was as a result of deferment caused by damage to Trans-Forcados Trunk line at Chanomi Creek in its Western operations, referring to Shell’s assets in Delta State. The company said investigations were ongoing and that it was taking steps to repair the line and resume production.
Jun192009