After Days of Siege by Communities, Shell Set to Resume TNP Pipeline Test
- After several days of being cut off from accessing a damaged pipeline in the Bodo community of Rivers State, Shell is will resume test on the pipeline
- The Trans-Niger pipeline was severely ruptured early this week, allowing the Bodo community in the state to condone it off and reportedly siphon crude oil
- Reports say the community has finally agreed to allow the company access to the pipeline to effect repairs and resume pumping of crude oil
PAY ATTENTION: Click “See First” under the “Following” tab to see Legit.ng News on your Facebook News Feed!
After days of siege by communities in Rivers state and siphoning crude oil from the damaged Trans-Niger Pipeline, Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC) is planning to resume testing its main trunk line.
A reliable source, who pleaded anonymity, confirmed the development to the News Agency of Nigeria on Wednesday, September 14, 2022, in Lagos.
Source: Getty Images
Community resolve dispute with oil company
According to the NAN report, the TNP takes crude from production fields to SPDC joint venture terminal in Bonny Island in Rivers.
PAY ATTENTION: Subscribe to Digital Talk newsletter to receive must-know business stories and succeed BIG!
The pipeline supports crude oil production from the facilities of the SPDC joint venture and other producers who rely on the Bonny terminal for oil export.
The source said that the oil firm and the Bodo community in Rivers might be nearing some agreement in resolving the dispute over the pipeline.
According to the source, the resolution will allow regulators and SPDC access to any troubled sections of the TNP in the community for investigation and necessary repairs.
The source added the community had given both SPDC and regulators some conditions before granting them access.
The source said:
“Some people prevented the company and regulators from accessing the site of the alleged spills, but I can tell you that the access challenge is being resolved such that the regulator and SPDC will be allowed to visit the site any moment.
“We know the SPDC joint venture’s TNP is not formally shut, but we also know that the line has not conveyed significant oil in more than two months.
“So, if it is established that a spill did occur, we expect that any impact of the spill would be minimal."
Investigation to begin
Also, Michael Adande, SPDC spokesperson said the company was working with relevant parties to enable access to the locations of reported incidents along the TNP’s pathway.
He said the access would allow for a regulator-led investigation of the alleged incidents and subsequent repairs, enabling the resumption of the TNP system test.
Trouble for Nigeria’s economy as villagers siphon 300,000bpd pipeline, prevent workers from effecting repairs
Recall that Legit.ng reported that the dream of Nigeria ramping up revenue from crude oil production has been dealt another deadly blow following a siege on a pipeline by unruly villagers in the Bodo community of River State.
According to a BusinesDay Report, the villagers are currently feasting on the 300,000 barrels per day pipeline located in the community.
For the past two weeks, teams of engineers from Shell Petroleum Development Company have been prevented by the villagers from accessing and effecting repairs on the pipeline located on the Trans Niger Pipeline, an oil pipeline with a 300,000 barrels per day crude capacity.
Source: Legit.ng
