Princewill Demian
21 April 2018, Sweetcrude, Abuja – Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL), Operator of the Joint Venture with the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), has denied the alleged transfer of its interest in Oil Mining Lease 11 (OML) in Yorla Field, eastern Niger Delta to an investor.
Its General Manager, Policy, Government and Public Affairs, Mr. Esimaje Brikinn, said in a statement yesterday that Chevron does not have any equity in OML 11 as alleged in a recent report.
A group, the Ken Saro Wiwa Associates (KSWA), had alleged a plot by a minister “to unilaterally transfer CNL’s interest in the Yorla Oil Field (OML 11–Ogoni Fields) to an anonymous company in which he has interest.”
In a petition to President Muhammadu Buhari, the KSWA said it was an “organisation with global membership committed to promoting the ideals and the consolidation of the legacies of the Ogoni Hero and human rights activist, Ken Saro Wiwa and his fellow martyrs in the struggle.”
But Brikinn said CNL has 40 percent equity in OML 51 in Rivers State in which the Yorla South Field is located.
He disclosed that Chevron was not soliciting for expressions of interest (EoIs) for any of its assets, adding that, “While CNL regularly reviews its asset portfolio to seek opportunities for optimising its businesses, any decision on acquisitions or divestitures will be made after following its established processes.
“As with past exercises, CNL will follow consistent and transparent process if and when it determines that asset transactions will be beneficial to its operations. These decisions are made without regard to outside pressures or influences,” he added.
Copies of the petition, signed by National Coordinator, KSWA, Mr. Gani Topba, were sent to the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Director General, Department of State Services (DSS); Chief of Army Staff and National Security Adviser (NSA).
Others are Group Managing Director of NNPC, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources; Governor of Rivers State; Managing Director, CNL and Ambassador of the United States to Nigeria.
It added that the KSWA further sought the reversal of all decisions, approvals, and recommendations made by the minister regarding the Yorla Oilfield.
“We urge the Federal Government to take the above measures as the Ogoni people have lost confidence in the minister’s ability to dispense justice in the protracted matter between us and the SPDC JV partners over OML 11 Ogoni Fields,” the group stated.
