*Declares force majeure on Bonny loading
05 January 2012, Sweetcrude, Lagos – Royal Ducth Shell Thursday said had restarted oil production from its 200,000 b/d Bonga field offshore Nigeria, more than four weeks after the field was shut down following an oil leak.
Shell however declared force majeure on Bonny Light oil loadings following a leakage on the company’s operated pipeline transporting crude to the Bonny export terminal.
“SPDC, Shell, has declared force majeure on the Bonny Light loading schedule as a result of deferments caused by crude theft activities on Nembe Creek Trunkline,” Shell said in a statement.
“The declaration took effect 09:00hrs (0800hrs GMT) today, January 5, 2012,” Shell said.
Shell had shut down the line on Dec. 24, 2011 following leaks on the facilities which led to production shut-in of 70,000 b/d of oil.
“We are working to repair the line and resume production as soon as possible,” Shell said.
The oil giant said production resumed at Bonga on Jan. 1, following reinforcement of asset integrity and safety programs at its field’s FPSO.
The field was shut down Dec. 2 after a leak occurred on one of the three export loading lines as oil was being transferred from the floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel to a loading tanker.
