NNPC vows to recover stolen crude oil

The Group General Manager, National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, Bala Wunti, said works are ongoing to recover missing crude oil barrels.

Wunti made this known in a Twitter post after he, alongside the NNPC Limited Group Managing Director, Mele Kyari, recently visited the Trans Escravos Pipeline which connects to the illegal four-kilometer pipeline discovered at Forcados, in Delta State.

While the discovery of the illegal pipeline hasn’t led to arrest of any suspect, Wunti said the missing crude oil barrels will be brought back. This is despite the pipeline has been in operation for the past nine years.

Ripples Nigeria had reported two weeks ago that over 265 illegal refineries were uncovered in the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) corridor.

Read also:Crude oil price jumps in response to OPEC+ two million output cut

The Nigerian government had also disclosed that $1 billion was lost to oil theft between January to March, with the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of NNPC Limited, Umar Ajiya, stating $150 million is lost daily.

Commenting on the illegal four-kilometer pipeline, Wunti said, “Working to bring back the missing and lost barrels!” He added that, “The situation at the illegal connection site is unimaginable.”

He further stated that Kyari plans not to leave any stone unturned in “ending the menace of oil theft and bring back full production numbers for the benefit of all Nigerians and our partners – Indeed, the Industry-wide security collaboration is working!”

Kyari on his part, “Visited the illegal connection point on the Trans Escravos Pipeline looped onto the 4km Afremo test line with Gen Irabor and others.

“Inspected the Afremo platform, the potential exit point for diverted crude oil. Coordinated security Intervention is paying up. Theft will be ended.”

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now