Nigeria militant attack on Chevron shuts 100,000 bpd

LAGOS (Reuters) – Nigerian militants launched their first major strike against the oil industry since the start of a 10-day old military offensive late on Sunday, bombing a Chevron (CVX.N) pipeline and shutting 100,000 barrels per day of output.

The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) said in an email it had sabotaged pipelines to flow stations at Alero Creek, Otunana, Abiteye, Makaraba and Dibi feeding a Chevron facility in Delta state.

INFRASTRUCTURE EXPOSED

The security forces say they have destroyed at least two major militant camps in the Chanomi Creek area around Warri since launching their offensive and that they are now in control of the ground in the surrounding creeks.

But industry and security sources say it is virtually impossible to fully protect hundreds of kilometers of pipeline running through remote and largely unpopulated areas, leaving infrastructure exposed to hit-and-run guerrilla raids.

MEND warned such attacks would continue.

“We will continue our cat-and-mouse tactics with (the military) until oil exports cease completely,” it said.

Reuters