Shell has lifted a force majeure on light crude loadings at a Nigerian terminal put in place last month amid pipeline sabotage.
The Anglo-Dutch supermajor is not, however, prepared to make any official statement on the development despite doing so when the measure was put in place.
Force majeure was lifted on Bonny Light crude loadings on 1 July, a spokesperson at Shell told Upstream after media reports surfaced that the company had taken the decision.
Shell announced on its website on 13 June that it had imposed force majeure due to “leaks and fires¿caused by hacksaw cuts” on the Trans Niger Pipeline. At the time Shell said the force majeure would be in place “for June and July”.
Shell executive Babs Omotowa said at the time: “The leaks and fires show a worrying trend not only on the TNP but also on our facilities elsewhere. Sadly, the trend is continuing unabated. At the end April, we recorded more than 35 sabotage spills.
Asked why the company was not willing to make an official statement on the lifting despite making the initial declaration of force majeure public, the spokesperson said today that the company has informed all parties who need to know and others are informed of the development only if they make the relevant enquiries.
Oil companies in Nigeria have been operating under the threat of attacks from militant groups who are agitating for reforms in the oil-rich West African country. However, pipelines are frequently sabotaged by groups and individuals looking to siphon off oil.
