Shell will resume exports from its Forcados oil terminal by the end of the month, once essential repairs are completed.
“In addition to the repairs, we are working to remove and clamp theft points on the onshore pipelines to ensure full crude oil receipt at the terminal,” Shell Petroleum Development Co. (SPDC) media relations manager Abimbola Essien-Nelson said.
SPDC halted exports via Forcados in July, after reports emerged of a leak near a single point mooring (SPM). According to loading reports, the company had been due to export around 260,000 bpd that month.
The company will remove “active” illegal connections to its links in the western Niger Delta. It will also remove the “inactive” illegal connection on the onshore section of the 48” Forcados export line.
“SPDC gives priority to the removal of active illegal connections and to illegal connection points that have leaks,” the SPDC representative said.
“This scheduled programme is continuous as new illegal connections are identified during surveillance of the pipelines. An example of such illegal connection is that on the onshore section of the 48” Forcados Export Line which is currently not active and has no sign of leak at the interconnection point.”
SPDC is committed to running assets “safely, reliably and in accordance with globally accepted standards”, it said. The company is working “tirelessly” with its partners to eradicate “crude theft from its infrastructure”, she said.
Nigerian National Petroleum Corp. (NNPC) head Mele Kyari reported recently the discovery of a 4 km illegal pipeline attached to the Forcados system. He subsequently said it was attached to the Escravos system instead.