There are indications that the recent pipeline explosion in Rivers State poses a risk of great loss to Nigeria’s oil export.
Oil Production this month is shaky as 180,000 barrels per day which could amount to over four million barrels of oil export per month might be lost if the exploded pipeline is not urgently fixed.
Investors King recalls that on Thursday, an explosion occurred in a major export pipeline at Rumuekpe community in the Emuoha Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The incident as reported led to the death of twelve persons who are yet to be identified, also those scooping the oil where said to be burnt.
The Rivers State Police Command’s Spokesperson, Grace Iringe-Koko, in a release said the explosion occurred around 2am when a truck loaded with illegal crude oil exploded while returning from the site.
“Preliminary investigation by the police command indicates that the victims were scooping crude oil when the site caught fire. So far, about 12 persons are believed to have been burnt to death. The identities of the victims are still unknown. Five vehicles, four Keke NAPEP (commercial tricycles), and one motorcycle were all burned to ashes,” Iringe-Koko narrated.
The ghastly explosion happened at Trans Niger Pipeline, a major pipeline in Nigeria that conveys 180,000 barrels per day through the Rumuekpe community to designated places.
The TNP pipeline in Rivers is Nigeria’s major liquid hydrocarbon delivery channel involved in moving oil to the Bonny Export Terminal and used for domestic power generation and liquefied gas exports.
The Executive Director of Youth and Environment Advocacy Centre, Fyneface Dumnamene, after investigations blamed the incident on vandalism and oil theft which has overtime hindered the federal government from receiving the complete revenue from the oil sector.
The Chief Executive, Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Gbenga Komolafe, in a statement, blamed the incident on vandalism and oil theft which has over time hindered the federal government from receiving its complete revenue from the oil sector.
He stated that the incident had been reported to the regulatory agency and “the commission in line with its statutory regulatory oversight of upstream petroleum operations in the Nigerian oil and gas industry has commenced investigations into the incident in conjunction with relevant stakeholders and will provide updates appropriately.”