SHELL BOOST NIGERIA OIL PRODUCTION BY 500,000 BARRELS PER DAY

Repair works on the strategic Trans Ramos Trunk Line and other facilities of Shell Petroleum Development Company that were damaged by militants in the Niger Delta region are getting closer to completion.

Similarly, our correspondent gathered that the company’s re-entry programme into oil facilities shut down during the 7-year Warri Crisis among others is progressing.

Already, clean up of crude oil spillages resulting from the militants’ attacks on the facilities are nearing conclusion, our correspondent gathered.

But there were concerns that the Egwa and Odidi Flow Stations in Delta State may not come on stream as quickly as was expected because of paucity of funds.

It was gathered that the Federal Government’s inability to provide its counterpart funding for the Joint Venture projects could mar progress so far recorded in the re-entry programme.

But SPDC’s Precious Okolobo told our correspondent in an email interview that SPDC was making good progress in its re-entry and repair works in Delta and Bayelsa states.

On its re-entry in the West, Okolobo said, “(Shell) is working closely with communities and the Delta State Government”, adding, “We have made good progress in repairing facilities damaged in militant attacks.

“And also, (we are) cleaning up the environment from spills resulting from these unfortunate incidents. We are continuing to progress the restoration works in the West,” he added.

On the fate of the company’s facilities in Ramos River boundary between Bayelsa and Delta states, Okolobo said: “Restoration works are continuing in some of our facilities in Bayelsa State including Trans Ramos Trunkline.”

Independent investigation by our correspondent however revealed that the company’s repair activities are being hampered by paucity of fund.

It was gathered that the Federal Government, which own 60% of the Joint Venture has consistently defaulted in meeting its funding of the partnership, a development oil industry sources said the company has forced to the company to work at a pace dictated by available fund.

Nevertheless, our investigation further revealed that SPDC’s production from Delta State hovers between 180,000 to 200,000 barrels of crude oil per day.

Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, whose state has slipped to fourth on the list of oil producing states, confirmed that oil production from SPDC has gradually risen to 200,000bpd.

Uduaghan, who spoke at a programme organised by Vanguard for Transparency and Democracy at the PTI Conference Centre, lamented the slow pace in repairing other strategic facilities, including the Odidi and Egwa platforms of the company.

Oil industry sources said the restoration of the facilities to full production could take SPDC yields in the state to 500,000 barrels per day.