A Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL) major valve
platform around Escravos in Warri SouthWest Local Government Area of Delta
State was blown up on Wednesday.
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.
Some
of Nigeria’s power plants run on gas.
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).