NNPC records 45,347 pipeline breaks in 18 years

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has said it recorded a total of 45,347 pipeline breaks on its downstream pipeline network between 2001 and half year 2019.

This was disclosed by the Group Managing Director of the Corporation, Mallam Mele Kyari, during a keynote address at the Nigeria International Pipeline Technology and Security Conference and Exhibition organized by the Pipelines Professionals Association of Nigeria (PLAN) in Abuja on Wednesday.

Kyari lamented that these huge pipeline assets had become difficult to operate efficiently as a result of incessant activities of vandals and other criminal syndicates that were becoming increasingly sophisticated.

He said in 2018 alone, a total of 19 fire incidents were recorded on the petroleum products pipelines, stressing that the theme of this year’s conference: Pipeline Assets: Critical Backbone for Socio-Economic Development, resonated with the thinking at the NNPC on the need to reinforce the narrative of the critical role of pipeline assets to the nation’s energy security and economic progress.

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According to a statement by the Group General Manager, Public Affairs Division of NNPC, Ndu Ughamadu, the corporation’s boss also expressed NNPC’s readiness to collaborate with all stakeholders to respond aggressively to cases of pipeline vandalism across the country with a view to mitigating them.

“As a major player in the oil and gas industry, the NNPC operates over 5,000km of pipelines traversing many communities to link terminals, three refineries and 20 depots for efficient transportation of crude oil and refined products.

“In addition, the NNPC has over 1,700km of natural gas pipelines to supply gas to power plants and gas-based industries, including deliveries to trans-national reception points,” Kyari was quoted to have said.

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