Anglo-Dutch oil giant Shell in Nigeria was struggling on Wednesday to put out a fire that engulfed a pipeline allegedly sabotaged on Tuesday by unknown persons in the southern Niger Delta region, a company spokesperson said.
”The fire is still on. We are trying to determine the extent of the fire. We are organising a flight today [Wednesday] to oversee the situation, the extent of fire,” the spokesperson said under the cover of anonymity.
The fire, apparently caused by a dynamite attack according to an initial probe, cut production and this has not resumed.
”We have not resumed operations for now. It is impossible. After fighting the fire, we will have to repair the pipeline and see what again needs to be repaired before we can resume operations,” he said.
Shell announced on Tuesday that unknown persons attacked its pipeline near the main oil city, Port Harcourt, resulting in a major spill and fire and slashing production by 170 000 barrels per day (bpd) of crude, accounting for about 7% of Nigeria’s total crude export.
”Preliminary investigations reveal that the fire may have been caused by a dynamite attack carried out by unknown persons. To help curb the fire, Shell shut its production from Diebu Creek and Nun River fields as well as all land-area facilities except Rumuekpe.
”About 170 000 bpd net oil have been deferred,” the company said in a statement.
Shell officials on Wednesday still declined to comment on whether lives were lost in the explosion, which affected nearby communities.
”The number of affected communities is yet to be determined, but we understand that some nearby settlements may have been impacted. We have mobilised a medical team that is now on standby in Port Harcourt,” the Shell text said.
Nigeria is Africa’s largest oil producer and the world’s sixth largest with 2,5-million bpd.
The oil-rich Niger-Delta is volatile and a frequent theatre of acts of banditry and piracy, kidnapping of oil workers and stealing of crude oil by irate youths and militia groups demanding for their local populations a major share in oil resources. — Sapa-AFP