The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) claims to have discovered 83 illicit refineries in the Niger Delta within the last week.
The NNPCL announced this on its X account on Tuesday as part of its battle on crude oil theft, adding that 15 illicit pipeline connections were identified within the same time period.
“In the past week, 15 illegal pipeline connections and 83 illegal refineries have been uncovered in the Niger Delta,” the NNPCL said.
According to a video linked with the post, from January 6 to 12, a total of 211 incidences of oil theft and damage were recorded.
The NNPCL also reported that 15 unauthorized pipeline connections were identified over the same period.
According to a documentary uploaded on X, NNPCL recorded 211 cases of oil theft and damage between January 6 and 12, 2023.
It stated 15 unauthorized pipeline connections were identified within the same time period.
It also stated that it examined an unlawful crude oil tanker loaded with thousands of metric tons of petroleum, and that the 23 crew members aboard the vessel had been detained.
It announced this in a post on its official X handle on Monday night, stating that the action was part of the firm and its partners’ efforts to combat crude oil theft.
It said, “Earlier today, the Group CEO (Chief Executive Officer) of NNPC Ltd, Mr Mele Kyari, and the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, were in Oporoza, Warri, Delta State, to inspect MT Kali, an illegal crude oil vessel loaded with thousands of metric tonnes of crude oil.”
It stated that the vessel was intercepted by Tantita Security Services, a private security firm, in collaboration with the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, “while it was loading directly from an offshore platform in Bayelsa State.”
The national oil company added that “all 23 crew members onboard the illegal vessel have been arrested.”
According to NNPCL, during the inspection tour of the unlawful vessel, General Musa noted that the military remains dedicated to collaborating with the national oil company and other government and private security organizations to combat crude oil theft in the Niger Delta.
He was quoted as saying, “We are committed to stopping all acts of criminality in Nigerian waters. We are also sounding a note of warning to the perpetrators of this crime that enough is enough.
“The country is bleeding and we need all funds to develop as a nation. It is by stopping these acts of criminality that we will be able to achieve that dream.”
In another post on X, the oil company reported that it discovered 83 illicit refineries in the Niger Delta region over the last week.
It stated 15 unauthorized pipeline connections were identified within the same time period.
According to a documentary uploaded on X, NNPCL recorded 211 cases of oil theft and damage between January 6 and 12, 2023.
Remember that the business reported a week ago that it had uncovered 52 illicit refineries in the Niger Delta region during the last week.
It further reported that 32 illegal pipeline connections were discovered while 52 illicit refineries were dismantled in the Niger Delta.
“Between December 30, 2023 and January 5, 2024, 157 (oil theft) incidences were recorded from several incident sources, including Nigeria Agip Oil Company, 62 incidents; Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited, 29; Maton Engineering Limited, 18; Tantita Security Services, 8; Shell Petroleum Development Company, 4; NNPCL Command and Control Centre, 2; and Government Security Agencies, 24,” the company stated.
It stated that 52 illicit refineries were detected in Abia, Imo, Rivers, and Bayelsa states over the last week, as well as 32 unlawful connections in various sections of the Niger Delta, including Bayelsa, Rivers, and Delta states.
The business also stated that unlawful connections were removed and restored along the Niger Delta’s core corridor, and that seven illegal storage sites in Akwa Ibom State were discovered, including underground barrels of crude oil.
