OpeOluwani Akintayo
31 August 2017, Sweetcrude, Lagos –Nigeria recorded 86 cases of pipeline breaks in June alone.
A statement by the spokesman of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Mr. Ndu Ughamadu, said out of the 86 cases, 77 were due to pipeline vandalism, representing almost 40 per cent increase relative to cases recorded in the previous month, May, 2017.
According to Ughamadu, while the Port Harcourt-Aba line recorded the highest pipeline breaks of 55 points (66 per cent), there was also an unusual increase in the activities of vandals along Kaduna-Zaria, with 13 vandalised points in June.
He said there was also a decrease in gas production.
“There was also a slight decrease in national gas production, compared to previous month which stood at 227.15BCF or an average of 7,571.50 mmscfd, the report said.
“This was despite sustaining the success recorded by its enhanced crude oil evacuation and oil lifting in June, 2017 following re-opening of Forcados Oil Terminal (FOT) on March 31.”
