Nigeria’s Oil Exports to Drop as Fire Outbreak hits 250,000bpd Pipeline

• Nigeria’s Oil Exports to Drop as Fire Outbreak hits 250,000bpd Pipeline

Nigeria’s oil exports may suffer a fresh setback following the damage done to the Trans Forcados Pipeline by a fire outbreak on Sunday in Burutu Local Government, Delta State.

According to the National Petroleum Corporation, the TFP accounted for over 250,000 barrels per day production.

Mr Sylvester Okoh, the General Manager, Community Relations of Heritage Energy Operational Services, said the fire incident occurred along the pipeline where maintenance was ongoing.

He said, “The fire outbreak started because of some pressure but current efforts are being made to put it off (which is the most important thing at the moment.) We are trying to curtail the fire first before we can talk of repairs.

“It’s a very critical asset because that is what takes all the crude from the fields to the Forcados terminal for export. It’s not a line used only by Heritage but also by other companies.

“We have quite a number of them – Neconde, Seplat and host of them; it’s not just Heritage. It’s a very critical asset, and that’s why everything is being done to bring it up as quickly as possible.”

Okoh said no community is affected by the fire as no community is located around the area, adding that everything is being done to put off the inferno.

Mr Bamidele Odugbesan, Shell spokesman, said the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria was aware of the development and shutdown of the pipeline.

“Any impact on the export programme will be communicated in due course,” he told one of our correspondents.