Shell warns on production in Nigeria

Shell in Nigeria has today warned it may not meet contractual obligations on crude oil after an oil theft sabotaged two pipelines.

Nigeria, a member of the OPEC, is the world’s 12th-largest oil producer and the eighth-largest oil exporter.

Over the weekend, oil thieves made holes, or cuts, to siphon oil, according to Shell but the company has not divulged how much oil has been lost.

A company spokesperson, Precious Okolobo, said: “Efforts are ongoing to repair the damaged pipelines.”

Shell said three separate incidents had occurred between August 1 and August 12 on two Cawthorne Channel Bonny pipelines.

Oil thieves in Nigeria frequently sabotage pipelines and take the stolen oil to illegal refineries.

Almost all of Shell’s oil spills last year were due to sabotage from thieves and militants.

Militants in southern Nigeria have carried out many attacks on pipelines and other oil industry targets in the past few years, demanding a fairer distribution of oil revenue.