OpeOluwani Akintayo
05 September 2017, Sweetcrude, Lagos — Nigeria’s crude oil production for the month of May 2017 was less 700,000 barrels per day owing to various reasons ranging from technical shut-ins, well integrity issues, power supply, etc.
According to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, a total of 773, 100b/d was lost during the month.
Providing reasons for the loss, NNPC said it was due to shut-ins from five terminals in May.
Data obtained from the Corporation showed that the first loss was from the Yoho terminal which was shut from 15th – 18th May 2017.
About 48,100 b/d of production was shut-in as a result, while the second shut-in of 280,000 b/d came from the Forcados terminal.
A force majeure which was declared on the 48-inch crude oil export line from 21st February 2016, was still in place in May 2017, resulting in a shut-in of 280,000 b/d in May 2017.
However, a line flush was carried out on 20th May, reopening export activities at the terminal in the last week of the month.
Similarly, the Qua Iboe terminal suffered 180, 000 b/d production shut-in during the period due to oil well integrity issues and high water production, according to NNPC.
“An average of 180,000 b/d was shut-in throughout the month reviewed.”
The Bonga terminal which was shut down on the 15th of May 2017 due to crude oil leakage, also had its fair share of the shut-ins, as a total of 190,000b/d was unproduced.
Due to plant trip as a result of a loss of power on 7th May 2017, Nigeria also lost about 75,000 b/d of production, the NNPC disclosed.
Total loss from the five terminals for May equaled 773, 100b/d.