In its ongoing battle against crude oil theft, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) reported the discovery of 165 illegal refineries across the Niger Delta over the past week.
An NNPCL documentary, recorded between June 15 and 21 and viewed by Channels Television, detailed approximately 400 incidents of oil theft and vandalism reported by both government and private security agencies.
During this period, 69 illegal connections were discovered and disconnected in Bayelsa and Rivers States. Additionally, eight oil spill incidents resulting from vandalism or illegal connections were reported across the region.
In Warri, Delta State, an illegal loading point was discovered. The NNPC also reported uncovering and dismantling 69 illegal refineries in the swamps of Okrika, Rivers State, halting the construction of an ‘oven’ for illegal crude oil refining.
Similar illegal refining sites were identified in various locations in Abia and Bayelsa States. Furthermore, 19 illegal storage sites containing stolen crude and illegally refined products were found in Delta, Imo, Rivers, Abia, and Bayelsa States.
The NNPC reported the seizure of 11 vehicles in Delta, Akwa Ibom, and Bayelsa States, and the confiscation of 39 boats transporting stolen crude in Rivers, Delta, and Bayelsa States. Eight individuals were arrested in connection with these incidents.
This development comes amidst declining crude oil production and Nigeria’s inability to meet its OPEC quota of 1.5 million barrels. Recently, NNPCL Group Chief Executive Officer Mele Kyari emphasized the need to address insecurity in the oil and gas sector.
According to Kyari, the nation’s crude oil production keeps dropping due to oil theft and vandalism.
He said, “How do you increase oil production? Remove the security challenge we have in our onshore assets. As we all know, the security challenge is real. It is not just about theft; it is about the availability of the infrastructure to deliver the volume to the market.
“No one is going to put money into oil production when he knows the production will not get to the market. Within the last two years, we removed over 5,800 illegal connections from our pipelines. We took down over 6,000 illegal refineries. You simply cannot get people to put money until you solve that problem.”