Oil leak resulting from
operational hazard has forced the Shell
Nigeria Exploration and Production
Company, SNEPCo, to shut down its
200,000 barrel per-day capacity Bonga
deepwater facility, approximately 120
kilometres off the Nigerian coast.
Shell may be losing up to $21.47million
daily on account of the shut down, with
Brent oil price up by 63 cents to $107.36
a barrel yesterday.
If the situation persists, Nigeria is at risk
of not meeting its crude oil production
of 2.48 million barrels per day in 2011,
but revenues may not be so impacted at
$70/barrel projections.
The Anglo-Dutch oil major said the
leakage occurred on Tuesday, during a
routine operation to transfer crude oil
from Bonga’s floating production,
storage and off-loading, FPSO, vessel to
a waiting oil tanker.
An export line linking the FPSO to the
tanker was identified as the likely
source, and has been closed and de-
pressurised, halting the flow of oil, a
statement from the company said
yesterday.
Shell Nigeria Country Chair, Mr. Mutiu
Sunmonu, commenting on the incident
said: “We are sorry this leak has
happened. As soon as we became aware
of it, we stopped the flow of oil and
mobilised our own resources as well as
industry expertise to ensure its effects
are minimized.”
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