Bunkering: Shell Denies Arrest Of Employees

 SPDC is deeply concerned about recent reports in the media which wrongly stated that two of our staff were arrested by government security forces for alleged involvement in crude theft. We are equally concerned about allegations credited to government security agencies that our failure to repair identified bunkering points is frustrating their efforts to combat oil theft.

According to the company’s spokesman, Mr Precious Okolobo, those arrested were not SPDC employees adding that investigation suggest that they are employees of one of several community-based contractors who perform pipeline surveillance work in the Niger Delta on SPDC’s behalf.

“The allegation of SPDC’s failure to repair identified bunkering points, fails to recognize the complexities faced by operators in the Niger Delta today. Particularly challenging and risky is the fact that every time SPDC shuts down production to make repairs and disable identified theft points, the crude thieves use the opportunity to install new theft points along the facility,” the statement added.

According to Okolobo by October 2012, SPDC had removed 135 illegal connections for oil theft. Ninety-Six of these were responsible for spills and 39 were removed as an extra precaution against further spills and oil theft.