OpeOluwani Akintayo
20 October 2017, Sweetcrude, Lagos – Nigerian oil company, Aiteo, will lift force majeure on the Nembe Creek Trunk Line, NCTL, before the end of this month, SweetcrudeReports has learnt.
According to a source privy to current activities towards the return of the crude oil pipeline, this will follow completion of repairs and maintenance work, which commenced in the middle of September. The closure of the pipeline is costing Nigeria 150,000 barrels per day, bpd, of crude oil,
“Repairs and maintenance have been rounded up on the Nembe Creek Trunk Line and it will be re-opened for activities any time from now, latest October ending”, our source hinted.
The resumption of the NCTL will shore up Nigeria’s export to over two million barrels per day from 1.88 million barrels per day in September.
Aiteo had in a statement in September announced a shut down of the trunk line for repairs and declared a force majeure following an oil leak, which it said, was discovered on September 15.
Aside 150,000bpd of crude oil, the NCTL also has the capacity to evacuate up to 600,000bpd of liquids from the end point at Cawthorne Channel.