Business
Shell Shuts Down Trans Niger, Nembe Creek Pipelines …Blames Sabotage

Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Rivers State, Barrister Minabelem Michael West (middle), addressing participants of SEEFOR project programme organised by Rivers State Government in Port Harcourt on Friday. With him are Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, Sir Austin Orlu Orlu (left) and SEEFOR Project Cordinator, Mr, Keleous Amos. Photo: Nwiueh Donatus Ken
Anglo-Dutch oil giant, Shell, has shut down two key supply pipelines in Nigeria as a result of leaks, sabotage and have therefore declared a “force majeure” on crude oil exports from the Bonny terminal.
Nigerian Subsidiary of Shell, Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC), said in a statement that the force majeure became effective, Thursday, “following the shutdown of both the trains Niger Pipeline (TNP) and Nembe Creek Trunkline (NCTL)”.
The two pipelines take crude to the Bonny Light exports terminal, one of the country’s main oil terminals.
According to the company, a leak was reported on the TNP at Oloma South, Rivers State, while the NCTL was shut-down for the removal of crude theft points.
The company stated that it was working to repair and reopen the two pipelines as quickly as possible.
The ‘force majeure’ is a legal term releasing company from contractual obligations when faced with circumstances beyond its control,” it said.
The Tide reports that SPDC did not reveal the volume of out put affected by the incident.
SPDC has blamed repeated oil thefts and sabotage on key pipelines as the major cause of oil spills and pollution in the oil-producing region.
An estimated $6 billion loss of oil has been blamed annually on thieves.
This huge loss on the national economy has for decades been the bane of the national economy.
The Tide reports that the third party activities resolves around a Cartel located amongst sacked or retired oil workers, JTF, communities and the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
Chris Oluoh