Fears that power supply may get worse were rife yesterday after Wednesday’s bombing of a Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL) major valve platform around Escravos in Warri SouthWest Local Government Area of Delta State causing a shutout of about 100 milion standard cubic feet of gas equivalent to about 500MW of Average Power.
A militant group, the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA), has claimed responsibility for the sabotage of the crude oil and gas production facility. The attack is coming when work is being rounded off on the bombed Forcados platform.
The group has said it carried out an attack on a Shell oil pipeline in February which shut down the 250,000 barrel-a-day Forcados export terminal.
In a statement, Chevron Nigeria Limited, operator of a joint venture with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), said an attack took place at about 11.15 pm (2215 GMT) on Wednesday.
“Okan offshore facility in the Western Niger Delta region was breached by unknown persons,” said Chevron in the statement. “The facility is currently shut-in and we are assessing the situation, and have deployed resources to respond to a resulting spill.”
There were no immediate details of any casualties. The company could not be reached for further comments.
On Wednesday’s bombing, a source said: “Militants in the Niger Delta region have regrouped.
“Security personnel in the region are the main targets because these militants have cravings for their arms. They kill security agents and collect their arms and ammunition. They are now stockpiling them, possibly for major onslaughts.”
“The recent attack on naval ratings was the most brutal. Something must be done fast because the region is fast degenerating into a war zone,” he said.
In a statement by its spokesman,‘Col’. Madoch Agbinibo, NDA threatened that the Federal Government’s recent deployment of soldiers in the oil-rich region would not deter it from crippling the nation’s economy.
“The high command of the Niger Delta Avengers wants to use this medium to thank strike team 6 for successfully blowing up of the Chevron Valve Platform. And we are ready to protect the Niger Delta people.
”This is what we promised the Nigeria Government that since they refused to listen to us, we are going to zero the economy of the country.
“As for zeroing the Nigeria economy, we the Niger Delta Avengers are done with Delta State major oil installations. Now we are taking the fight out off the creeks to the Niger Delta. We are taking it to Abuja and Lagos now.
“We want to pass this message to all international oil companies operating in the Niger Delta, that the Nigeria military can’t protect their facilities. They should talk to the Federal Government to meet our demands else more mishaps will befall their installations”, the statement said.
An oil industry expert described the attack as a major setback for oil production and gas supply, saying the facility is among the most significant platforms operated by Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL).
A source said the bombing led to a massive leak. The nation’s crude oil output and gas supply to power generation companies would be greatly impacted because the subsequent repair would demand a shut-in for as long as the problem takes to fix.
The source added that the platform is one of Chevron’s most strategic facilities, connecting to/from other platforms, including the company’s BOP and its tank farm.
It was also gathered that damage had reduced gas production to 100 million cubic feet, meaning that what goes to power generation companies and other consumers has been reduced.
Nigerian Navy Information Director Commodore Chris Ezekobe confirmed that the facility which is located at about four nautical miles off Escravos Bar, was blown on Wednesday.
He said he was unaware that any group had claimed responsibility but added that there were no causalities.
He said: “It is an offshore facility located four nautical miles off Escravos Bar. Crude oil from offshore is collected there. The facility’s ability to pump crude oil and gas to the main Chevron facility at Escravos has been degraded.
“No one has claimed responsibility for the explosion that occurred on Wednesday and no casualty was reported.”
Navy Commodore Ezekobe added: “Like they blew up Chevron terminal in 2009. It happened about 40 nautical miles Escravos. Production has been cut short both in gas and crude oil. Gas production has reduced to 100 million cubic feet. We don’t know who is responsible. DNA can only be speculative. “
Gas supply to power generating stations was severely reduced, thereby causing a sharp drop in electricity supply nationwide, following the bombing earlier in the year of the Forcados platform, which belongs to the Shell Producing Development Company (SPDC).
Although the full import of the Escravos bombing has not been determined, Vice President Yemi Osibajo said after the damage of Shell’s Forcados export terminal pipeline and the vandalism of the Lagos Escravos pipeline in February that the sabotage resulted in the shortage of 3,132 megawatts (MW).
Speaking during the ninth international conference of Nigeria Association of Energy Economics/International Association of Energy Economists (NAEE/IAEE) in Abuja, he said: “the incident on the pipelines has cut gas supply to power plants in the Western Axis, such as Egbin, Omotosho 1, Olorinsogo 1, Ughelli, Omotosho NIPP and Olorunsogo NIPP leading to 3,132MW being constrained.”
Inadequate gas supply, blamed on vandalism of gas pipelines, has been the bane of the power sector. Power generation in the last one year has been so unstable, ranging from a high of 5,000Megawatts a few months ago to a low of about 1,455Megawatts.
Generation levels of 2400megawatts and about 4,1050 have been variously recorded, but were never sustained due to unstable gas supply to the power generating plants.
The Vice President travelled to Forcados to ginger up work on the platform. President Muhammadu Buhari declared that breaking of pipelines and oil platforms will henceforth be treated as economic sabotage.
Speaking to Nigerians resident in China during his state visit, the President said: “The government is still being dared, but those who are sensible should have learnt a lesson. Those who are mad, let them continue in their madness
”I am aware that in the last two weeks, the national grid collapsed a number of times. I hope this message will reach the vandals and saboteurs who are blowing up pipelines and installations. We will deal with them the way we dealt with Boko Haram.”
Mrs Adeosun debunked the claim that the Federal Government has no economic team. According to her, what is important is to work rather than talking. She said the team is headed by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo with Ministers of Finance, Budget and Planning, Trade and Investment, Information, the Director-General of the Debt Management Office (DMO) as members. Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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There is no human right group to condemn this act. Amnesty international is dead to this and Femi Falana is sleeping. But if Federal government do as expected now you will see this group suddenly awakened condemning the Federal government, taking it to ICJ for justice. But PMB is a coward anyway, if you try OBJ like this the entire community will be reduced to ......
ReplyDeleteAnd that is why your dear Obasanjo can never be recognized internationally as civilized leader! He killed people in Zaki Biam,Odi and others not mentioned. And you want to celebrate a murderer? I pray that even as you glory in this act you will also partake in reward of this dastardly act when the time comes.
DeletePower supply is worse already. what else are you referring to? FG should be happy again bcos another excuse has just been created. mtcheeeeeeeew.
ReplyDeleteThe army need to start shooting them on site.Cancel the amnesty program.Only in nigeria that,criminals are rewarded.Boko haram might soon seek amnesty as well.Opc will want one too.Where will it end?.They need to be suppressed violently.
ReplyDeleteWhen you shoot at people who have been marginalized and cheated by a majority of States that have become leeches what do you expect? It is because you are looking for blood to suck on that you are advocating for such a drastic measure. Well, in the twenty first century many leaders who are war mongers and murderers have been jailed by the international court at the Hague. I pray they listen to you and hopefully end up neighbors with Charles Taylor.
DeleteAnonymous 8:36am and 12:51pm, your ignorance and stupidity will allow Fulani herdsmen to reduce your villages to rumble. If you can all Fulani to intimidate you in your villages, others will not take that form of molestation and will stand to defend themselves. Have u asked yourself after over 60yrs of oil exploration in the Niger Delta what substantial development has the government has to offer than environmental degradation and ulter poverty. You take gas and oil from ones backyards to power cities and put them in darkness without providing light in theses villages.
ReplyDeleteI am not in support of vandalism of economic infrastructure but the truth is the Nigeria government is insensitive to the plight of the people in the Niger Delta.
One thing we must know is that people are becoming more sensitive of their plight and gettn more enlightened. You can put someone in darkness and slavery for that long again in this modern world.
My advice to the government is to be be more proactive in developing the reason make the people feel a sense of belonging.
@ Joseph It is good that u dont support the them. But what has these people done with the money and allocation they have received both from the FG and oil companies to help in development of their own community? E.g
ReplyDelete1. Asari dokubo went to build University in Benin or Togo republic with his community allocation.
2. What else has Tobolo contributed to the community too also with all the money collected so far in the interest of his people.
3. What about the money or budget allocated for ministry of Niger Delta. Remember there is ongoing corruption case now.
These people are fighting for there own selfish interest and not their community interest.
They shld not be foolish enough to know that bombing the pipes is causing more hardship to their community and little to the country.
Lagos is already producing oil for their information
Let us stop supporting their evil deeds.
WHAT HAS THESE PEOPLE DONE TO THEIR COMMUNITY SO FAR?