Aerial view of Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) plant at Bonny Island in Rivers State on March 22, 2013. Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC) has threatened to shut down production in April for nine days in the entire Nembe Creek Truck Line (NCTL) to remove a number of bunkering points on pipelines vandalised by oil thieves in the region. "Whenever we observe a spill, or have a spill on our lines, we shut down production to depressurize and isolate the line, only then can we safely repare our lines because it is then safe to manipulate the line", said Jurgen Jonzen, SPDC corporate pipeline asset manager. Last year, 157 bunkering points were removed and 116 were leaking on the whole SPDC exploitation. Since 2009, SPDC has exprienced an upsurge in vandalisation of pipeline network by criminals causing severe environmental devastation of the region and forcing the company to lose 60 000 barrels daily this year. AFP PHOTO / PIUS UTOMI EKPEI
The TANTITA Security Services Limited and the Joint Task Force (JTF), on Tuesday set ablaze MT TURA 11 vessel that was intercepted on Saturday in Delta with stolen crude oil.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the vessel was arrested while siphoning crude oil from a platform jacket on the Escravos River, off Ondo State.
NAN also reports that the 500 metric tons capacity vessel had 12 crew on board.
The vessel was set ablaze at the Bennett Island, Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta.
Addressing newsmen, Capt. Warredi Enisuoh, Executive Director, Technical and Operations of TANTITA, said that the decision to destroy the vessel would served as deterrent to oil thieves, sponsors and their international partners.
He warned investors who indulged in the illicit business of oil theft to desist or prepare to lose their assets
Enisuoh said that the security outfit in collaboration with the Nigeria security agencies, would make the perpetrators uncomfortable with the illegal trade.
“The whole idea of destroying the vessel is to send a message to investors in the waterways who indulged in oil theft to be prepared to lose their assets.
“It is not going to be business as usual. It doesn’t end here, government is doing everything possible to ensure that this illegality is stopped,” he said.
The officials of the Operation DELTA SAFE led by its Commandant, Vice Adm. Eugenio Ferreira were in attendance to witness the destruction of the vessel. (NAN)(
