– Millions of barrels deferred
OpeOluwani Akintayo
Lagos — Latest industry data obtained from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited showed that eight oil terminals were shut down between August and October this year, leading to both losses and deferred crude oil production valued at about N556billion at the official exchange rate of N411.95 to the dollar.
According to collated data, the affected eight terminals include Forcados, Bonny, Odudu, Brass, Yoho, Urha, Ajapa and Aje.
As a result, deferred/lost production in October alone was to the tune of 4,824,946 barrels of oil, the lowest among the figures posted during the three-month period.
The shut-ins and losses, according to the report, were due to pipeline vandalism, community interferences, sabotage of oil facilities, among others.
Losses and deferment in August, September and October were put at 6,680,620 barrels; 6,362,700 barrels; and 4,824,946 barrels respectively.
Further analysis of the reports from the NNPC showed that 20 incidents led to deferred output of 6,680,620 barrels of crude oil in August due to various production shut ins.
It was also observed that eight crude oil terminals were affected in August, as production was curtailed at the facilities during the period.
The affected terminals in the reviewed month include Forcados, Sea Eagle, Brass, Yoho, Qua Iboe, Escravos, Ajapa and Otakikpo.
Explaining some of the incidents that curtailed production in one of the terminals, for instance, the NNPC said, “Energia (an oil firm) injection into Brass line (was) suspended due to pipeline damages.
“Pillar injection into Brass (was) suspended due to third party interferences on NAOC (Nigeria A grip Oil Company) Akiri pipeline
For the month of September, 18 incidents warranted differed 6,362,700 barrels crude oil following production shut-ins recorded.
A total of nine terminals were affected in September, including Forcados, Sea Eagle, Brass, Yoho, Qua Iboe, Escravos, Urha, Ajapa and Otakikpo.
On some of the incidents that led to the crude oil losses in September, the NNPC stated that “production (was) curtailed due to pipeline outages” at the Forcados Terminal
It also noted that “Energia injection into Brass line (was) suspended from September 1 to 30, 2021 due to pipeline damage
Findings from the NNPC reports of events that affected production in October 2021, however, showed that the incidents that led to crude oil production shut-ins, reduced to 11 during the month.
The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, and the NNPC had repeatedly stated that the government was interfacing with communities in the oil region on why it was necessary to halt acts that often resulted in crude oil l
“The NNPC in collaboration with the local communities and other stakeholders continuously strive to reduce and eventually eliminate this menace,” the corporation had stated in one of its most recently published monthly report.
