Militants blow up Chevron’s flow lines in Delta
By Sola Adebayo, Warri
Published: Saturday, 21 Jun 2008


The Escravos/Abiteye flow lines belonging to the American oil giant, Chevron Nigeria Limited in Delta State were on Thursday night blown up by suspected Niger Delta militants.

Findings by Saturday Punch showed that the entire flow lines from Olero to Abiteye creeks in Warri North Local Government Area, were blown up with dynamites at 11.15pm. Consequently, the CNL management has suspended operations in its swamps locations in Delta State.

As a result of this development, all the four functioning oil production platforms in the swamps in Delta State were shut down at 11.3p.m on Thursday. Sources in CNL said the networks of pipelines were later engulfed in flames. Fire was still raging at the scenes as at press-time on Friday.

The four oil flow stations accounted for about 180,000 barrels of crude oil per day. The oil platforms were identified as Abiteye, Makaraba, Otunana and Olero. The incident threw the security agencies in the Niger Delta, especially the Joint Task Force in the Niger Delta, otherwise known as Operation Restore Hope, into confusion.

Thursday’s development occurred less than 24hours after the Bonga oil fields of Shell Petroleum Development Company located 60 nautical miles off the coast in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State was attacked by the militants.

The militants also abducted three oil workers, including one American, Mr. Jack Stone, found in a Solar Tide vessel, Suffer 253 SSB. The oil workers were later freed on Thursday evening while the vessel was abandoned at Escravos, Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State.

The Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta has claimed responsibility for Thursday’s action in which the militants looted and carted away some oil equipment in the location.

Saturday Punch gathered that the militants who carried out Thursday’s operation at CNL’s facilities operated unchallenged for about three hours. The troops of the JTF, were nowhere to be found while the attack lasted. Saturday Punch further learnt that the militants departed the creeks at about 3pm.

Already, the management of CNL has said that it will not resume operations in the area until the perpetrators are identified and conducive atmosphere created by the governments and security agencies for unhindered exploration and exploitation of crude oil. A team made up of CNL’s officials and security agents, including the Commanding Officer, NNS Delta, Navy Captain Samson Ojediran, flew over the area in an helicopter provided by CNL at about 2.50p.m on Friday.

The Commander of JTF, Brig-Gen. Wuyep Rimtip, could not be reached for comments. The spokesman of CNL, Mr. Femi Odumabo, confirmed the incident in a telephone interview with our correspondent on Friday, adding that its details were sketchy.

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