Exactly 26 years after the people of Ogoniland in Rivers State sacked Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) following the killing of Dr. Ken Saro-Wiwa, President Muhammadu Buhari has revoked the operating licence granted the oil giant for Oil Mining Lease (OML) 11, located in the area, THISDAY’s investigation has revealed.

OML 11, one of the most important oil blocks in Nigeria, in terms of oil and gas production, lies in the south eastern Niger Delta and contains 33 oil and gas fields, including Bodo, Bodo West and Yorla fields.

THISDAY gathered that the operatorship of the plum asset has been transferred to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and its upstream subsidiary, the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC).

According to a reliable presidency source, a letter dated, March 1, 2019, with Reference Number: SH/COS/A/8540, signed by Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, Malam Abba Kyari, to the Group Managing Director of the NNPC, said the president had directed the corporation and its upstream subsidiary, the NPDC, to take over the operatorship of the entire asset.

THISDAY gathered that SPDC had operated the block until 1995 when Ken Saro-Wiwa was hanged by the military regime of the late Gen. Sani Abacha.

Following the execution of the environmental activist, the Ogoni people, who had sacked Shell from Ogoni since 1993, also denied the oil giant access to the oil blocks.

A top official of SPDC told THISDAY last night that the company’s subsisting lease over OML 11, would expire in June 2019.

According to him, Shell had in 2018 applied for the renewal of the licence for another 20 years but the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) proposed to split the acreage into three because of its large size.

He also stated that Shell was also discussing with potential investors to sell its stake in the oil block as part of its divestment programme.

“OML 11 was actually under a divestment programme. Shell was talking with a Nigerian company to acquire its stake since the Ogoni people have vowed that they would not allow the company into their land. Shell has been refused access to the oil block by the communities for upwards of 26 years,” the official said.

THISDAY gathered that the revocation of the operating licence of Shell by the president was in line with the Joint Operating Agreement (JOA) signed by the joint venture partners, which empowers the NNPC to assume operatorship of the JV assets in the event that Shell relinquishes the operatorship.

Also, the most important petroleum legislation in Nigeria, the Petroleum Act of 1969 (as amended), empowers the Minister of Petroleum to grant or revoke the exploration, prospecting and production rights of the operating companies.

Buhari is the substantive Minister of Petroleum Resources.

SOURCE: https://brandspurng.com/2019/03/14/buhari-cancels-shells-operating-licence-for-oml-11/

Baba buhari dodoar

Baba Buhari is just using this country to test run is empty skull.
Such a dull old man, I pity him shaa.

May Nigeria succeed

Mehn! Another avenue for enriching his family with Niger Delta Oil.

Sai Baba

Good

Well shell has been unproductive and they probably left the oil sector even before they admitted

It's always about the oil.

Northern Nigerian Petroleum Corporation.

Hopefully, the oil dries up and alternative sources of energy catches up in due time, so this evil british contraption can crash quietly.

Good.

Once INEC cancel the presidential election, then the cancellation would be reversed acc

Hmmm. So for 26 years who has been manning the block?

Hmm, unto the next level things. More coming
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Good.

When will he cancel the oil blocks given to the northern elites that got those oil blocks by crooks

Good. Nigeria needs all the money it can lay its hands on, even now that we have honest leaders on board.

There is no room for leaving an oil field idle because Shell cannot humble itself and settle with the community.

Let Shell quit the stage and NPDC try its hands.

Kudos to PMB. But the proceeds from a restart of oil exploitation must first be directed at the clean up of Ogoniland.

I know the PMB administration has been on this but has been hampered by funds. Therefore, let the initial funds gotten be directed at the cleanup and uplifting the standards of living of the ogoni people.

Good

cr7lomo:
When will he cancel the oil blocks given to the northern elites that got those oil blocks by crooks

Nice one presido

This is just the beginning

Cancelling or denying shell an operating license won't help clean up Niger delta.

The people of Niger delta needs to be oriented about pipeline vandalism and it effect on the ecosystem.

so because south east did not vote for u,u ar doing these to punish them? were u expecting all the zones to vote for a single candidate mumu president ashamed of my president

i pray they revoke it in due time

and to be given to a northerner

Wow


Let's see how this goes!

Nice one Mr president. and also he has given NEPA till August to fix the light issue or he will revoke their licence.......unto NEXTLEVEL

Good one

namiji2598:
so because south east did not vote for u,u ar doing these to punish them?
were u expecting all the zones to vote for a single candidate
mumu president
ashamed of my president

Ogoni Land is SE geopolitical zone abi ?