NNPCL security contractors, Rivers LGC uncover seven-year-old theft point on Shell’s crude pipeline
A seven-year-old crude oil theft point has been uncovered on the Trans Niger Pipeline operated by the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) of Nigeria Limited in Nonwa-Uedume community, Tai Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The theft point of one and half inch pipe said to have been operated for over seven years with capacity to load two tankers of 33,000 litres of crude oil per night, runs 2km into a loading point in the community.
The discovery team was led by the Chairman of Tai LGA, Mr. Mbakpone Okpe, together with security operatives including personnel of the Nigerian Army, Department of State Services and Tai local security task force, as well as NNPCL’s contractors, Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited, and Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited.
Also present were SPDC workers who were on the Trans Niger Pipeline doing routine maintenance job, who eventually took over the theft point to remove the tapping pipe after the discovery.
The senate committee investigating oil theft and its consequent damage to the country’s economy said Nigeria lost N1.3 trillion ($2 billion) to oil theft between January and August 2022.
The ad-hoc committee was set up to investigate oil lifting, theft, and the impact on petroleum production and oil revenues.
The committee was chaired by Akpan Bassey, chairman, senate committee on petroleum (Upstream).
At the plenary on Tuesday, the committee, in its report, said “Nigeria lost over $2 billion to oil theft between January and August 2022, with consequent loss of revenue that would support the country’s fiscal deficits and budget implementation.”
The report revealed concerted efforts being made against the crime by all stakeholders, adding that they had started yielding results, with Forcados Terminal producing 500,000 barrels per day now as against zero production in the first six months of the year.
“Bonny Terminals is also producing 87,000 barrels of oil per day now as against zero production a couple of months ago due to activities of economic saboteurs,” the report read.
The committee however adopted a 16-point recommendation that states that “the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited should stop undermining Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) from performing their functions.”
The Executive Director, Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre, YEAC-Nigeria, Mr Fyneface Dumnamene Fyneface, who also witnessed the process, condemned all forms of crude oil theft and illegal refineries activities.
Fyneface also called on the federal government to provide alternative livelihood opportunities for artisanal crude oil refiners in the Niger Delta through modular refineries and establishment of Presidential Artisanal Crude Oil Refining Development Initiative,
