Oil theft: Reps move to stop security agencies from burning stolen crude vessels
…To probe disappearance of 150,000mts of crude from burnt vessel
…Nigeria’s oil output falls 5.5% to 1.249 mb/d in Q1, 2023 – OPEC
The House of Representatives have initiated a move to prevent security agencies from setting ablaze vessels laden with stolen crude oil.
The House at a plenary yesterday urged the security agencies to help the nation curb losses in oil production.
The House also resolved to empanel an d-hoc to investigate the whereabouts of the 150,000 metric tonnes of stolen crude oil ladened in the recently burnt Vessel MT TURA in Escravos River, Warri, Delta State.
The resolution followed the amendment of a motion titled “Need to Discourage the Destruction of Vessels Laden with Stolen Crude Oil with a view to Curbing Environmental Pollution in the Niger Delta Region,” moved by Hon. Thomas Ereyitomi.
Presenting the motion, Ereyitomi noted the recent reports of interception, arrest and subsequent destruction of vessels laden with stolen crude oil in the Niger Delta region.
According to him, the most recent was the MT TURA II on Friday 7th July, 2023 in the escravos river in Warri South-West Local Government Area, Delta State.
He said that the vessel MT TURA, an 800,000 tonne capacity vessel was at the time of arrest and destruction, laden with about 150,000 metric tonnes of stolen crude oil.
“The said vessel was set ablaze by a joint team of Nigeria security forces and representatives of the NNPC Ltd. on 11h July, 2023.
“In October 2022, a vessel named MT DEIMA which was laden with 1500 metric tonnes of stolen crude oil, was also arrested and set ablaze in the Warri escravos river.
“Setting ablaze stolen crude oil laden vessels will further destroy the well-endowed ecosystem of the Niger Delta region already ravaged by oil exploration.
“This act if allowed to continue, will further affect the livelihood and the overall wellbeing of the Niger Delta people who have fishing as their main occupation.
“The determination of the Federal Government to curb oil spill in the Niger Delta region and make the living condition of the people better,” the lawmaker said.
Adopting the motion, the House mandated its Committees on Environment and Maritime (when constituted) to ensure compliance.
In a related development, Nigeria’s oil production fell 5.5 per cent month-on-month to 1.249 million barrels per day in June 2023.
The Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries, (OPEC), in its latest July 2023 Monthly Oil Market Report, disclosed that this was based on data obtained from official sources.
The report revealed that on year-on-year, YoY, the nation’s oil output dropped by 17.6 per cent to 1.249 mb/d in June 2023, from 1.515 mb/d in the corresponding period of 2022.
The report did not consider Nigeria’s condensate output, currently hovering between 300,000 and 400,000 bpd, meaning that when this is considered, the nation’s total output would be much higher.
However, in its latest July 2023 report, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, NUPRC, has it that Nigeria’s daily oil production lagged behind the OPEC quota in June as it rose marginally by 4.9 per cent to 1.241 million barrels compared to 1.183 million barrels recorded in May 2023.
NUPRC in its oil production figures indicated that in total crude oil production and condensate oil amounted to 1.472 million barrels per day last month, an increase of 3.15 percent when compared to May production of 1.427 million barrels per day.
