A Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited report has outlined some details of the company’s fight against crude oil theft and illegal refining activities in Nigeria.
According to the company, these illegal activities were spotted and truncated in oil-producing areas like Imo, Rivers, and Bayelsa states.
NNPCL stated this in a report on its Energy and You program which airs weekly on the national network, NTA. The report highlights significant achievements made by the company in combating illegal activities in Nigeria’s oil industry.
Between June 24 and June 30, the company successfully dismantled and disrupted a total of 47 illegal connections, 35 illegal refineries, 12 vessels engaged in AIS infractions, 3 cases of crude oil theft, 6 incidents of pipeline vandalism, 6 oil spills, and confiscated 1 wooden boat.
The NNPCL emphasized that it has promptly forwarded reports regarding all illegal operations to the Nigerian Navy for appropriate action. Furthermore, the report provides a breakdown of the recorded illegal activities, with 99 incidents reported in the central region of the Niger Delta, 43 in the eastern region of the Niger Delta, 15 in the western part of the Niger Delta, and 12 in the Deep Blue Water.
According to NNPC Limited, it has a strong commitment to combating illicit practices within the oil industry and safeguarding Nigeria’s valuable resources.
Recall that in June 2023, Nairametrics reported that the Director of Naval Information, Commodore Adedotun Ayo-Vaughan told the press that due to efforts by the Nigerian Navy, oil thieves were denied over 116.9 million litres of crude oil, 45.1 million litres of refined diesel, and 2.4 million litres of kerosene as well as over 372,000 litres of premium motor spirit (PMS), all worth more than N71.8 billion based on the current prices.
According to Ayo-Vaughan, between April 1, 2022, and June 12, 2023, the Nigerian Navy facilitated the arrest of 131 suspects, and 17 vessels, the destruction of 519 illegal mining sites, the deactivation of 4,261 storage tanks, and the demobilization of 69 vehicles.
He had stated this in response to an allegation by former militant, Asari Dokubo, that the Navy was complicit in crude oil theft activities in the country.
What you should know
The Nigerian Extractives Industry Transparency Initiative (NEITI) has previously announced that the country lost 619.7 million barrels of oil to crude oil theft between 2009 and 2020.
According to NEITI, NNPC Limited needs to invest in proper surveillance (land-based, aerial satellite photography, and geophones-trenched pipelines) and update its pipeline networks to minimize vandalism and crude oil theft in the country.
