…Targets 3 Million Barrels Per Day Amidst War on Oil Theft
The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited, NNPCL, has destroyed over 8,000 illegal refineries across the country in the last six months.
This was disclosed by the Deputy Manager, Command and Control Centre of the NNPCL, Murtala Muhammad, during a stakeholders’ engagement session in Abuja on Saturday.
Muhammad, in a presentation on the menace of crude oil theft and its effects on Nigeria’s economy, revealed that 5,800 illegal oil pipeline connections were also detected and destroyed within the same period.
He noted that crude oil theft and the vandalisation of pipelines continue to pose a significant threat to the nation’s oil production, citing Bayelsa, Rivers, Imo, and Abia states as the most affected areas.
“Over 8,000 illegal refineries and 5,800 illegal oil pipeline connections were detected and destroyed within the last six months,” Muhammad stated.
The Chief Corporate Communications Officer of the NNPCL, Olufemi Soneye, also spoke at the session.
He expressed optimism that the country could increase its crude oil production to three million barrels per day, up from the current 1.7 million barrels.
According to him, this goal is attainable if all relevant stakeholders, including security agencies, oil companies, and host communities, work together.
“Three million barrels of oil production per day is achievable in Nigeria if all the stakeholders work in synergy for that purpose from the security agencies both government and privately-owned, to oil companies and host communities,” Soneye said.
He acknowledged the political will of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who has directed security agencies to intensify efforts to curb oil theft and pipeline vandalism.
He also highlighted that oil production had dropped to 900,000 barrels per day before the involvement of private security agencies and renewed military efforts to tackle oil theft.
“At that time, we felt Nigeria was in trouble as far as oil theft was concerned but the intensity of the war against it has allayed our fears,” Soneye added.
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