Shell Petroleum development Company of Nigeria (SPDC) has linked the rampant cases of crude oil theft in the Niger Delta to international criminal network, and called on all stakeholders to take urgent steps to check the dangerous trend.
According to SPDC, sabotage and crude oil theft was the cause of 22,310 barrels spilled from its facilities in 112 incidents in 2010, representing an average of about one spill every three days.
However, 5,270 barrels was due to 32 operational problems, arising from equipment failures recorded during the period.