Shell to resume crude oil exports at Forcados terminal at October end

Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Ltd. (SPDC) says it will resume crude oil exports from the Forcados Oil Terminal by October end when on-going repairs would have been completed.

Newsmen reports that SPDC declared a “Force Majeure’’ on oil exports from the terminal in August.

“Force Majeure’’ is a legal clause inserted in contracts to absolve parties from liabilities in the event of circumstances beyond their control.

“In addition to the repairs, we are working to remove and clamp theft points on the onshore pipelines.

“This is to ensure full crude oil receipts at the terminal,’’ SPDC’s Media Relations Manager, Abimbola Essien-Nelson, stated on Wednesday.

She added that active illegal connections to SPDC’s joint venture production lines and facilities in western Niger Delta and inactive illegal connections would be removed.

“This scheduled programme is continuous as new illegal connections are identified during surveillance of pipelines.

“An example of such illegal connection is that on the onshore section of the 48-inch Forcados export pipeline which is currently not active and has no sign of leak at the interconnection point,’’ she stated.

Essien-Nelson reiterated SPDC’s commitment to running its assets safely, reliably and in accordance with globally-accepted standards.

“SPDC continues to work tirelessly, alongside government and other partners towards the eradication of crude theft from its infrastructure,’’ she stated.