01 March 2012, Sweetcrude, ABUJA – Nigeria’s domestic gas supply to power plants has dropped by 300,000 Mcf/d over the past one week due to repairs of leaking distribution pipelines, according to a statement Thursday by the country’s ministry of power.
Repairs to the Ughelli-Sapele pipeline and the Escravos-Lagos pipeline, both located in the Niger Delta, cut gas supplies to five gas-fired power plants, resulting in a drop electricity supply in the oil-rich country by 625 MW, the ministry said.
“The total loss of natural gas supply in the wake of both the routine maintenance and the leakage repair has meant a loss of 625 megawatts,” the statement said.
The Escravos-Lagos pipeline transports 180,000 Mcf/d of gas from the Shell and Chevron oil fields, while the Ughelli-Sapele pipeline, which transport 120,000 Mcf/d of gas is operated by Shell.
A Shell spokesman said he could not immediately confirm the closure of the pipeline.
Oil firms operating in the Niger Delta including Shell has raised alarm over rising wave of sabotage attacks on oil pipelines by thieves tapping into pipelines.
Shell said last month that Nigeria could be losing 150,000 b/d of oil production to the attacks.
