Apparently disturbed by the recent wave of bombings of oil and gas
facilities, especially in Delta State, the military has deployed more gun
boats on the waterways and around oil, and gas facilities.
Several gunboats and personnel have been deployed by the military
hierarchy to checkmate the nefarious activities of the deadly militant
group, Niger Delta Avengers.
Findings have shown that several security posts have been set up on
strategic points and commercial boats plying the waterways are made to
stop at every check point even as suspected passengers are frisked.
Sources said that fresh attempts to bomb facilities belonging to Chevron
Nigeria Limited at Alero and Okwekegba were rebuffed by the military which
engaged the militants in gun fights.
Pointblanknews.com gathered that security was also beefed up around Jones
Creek, a flow station described as a single crude producing facility in
West Africa, with the total production quantum of 250,000 barrels per day.
Industry source said about 40; 000 barrels per day of crude have been shut
in with the attacks on Otunana, Abiteye and Makaraba, facilities belonging
to Chevron Nigeria Limited.
On the Ogan FSP, sources said a special military taskforce squad has been
stationed at the facility which was reportedly badly damaged.
An Anglo-Dutch oil giant, Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), has
evacuated most of its staff from its production facility, Eja OML 79 and
Bonga Field.
Bonga Field has a larger production capacity and is operated by another
Shell subsidiary, Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company,
SNEPCO.
Over 100 key personnel were evacuated from the facility said to be
producing about 90,000 barrels of oil per, while a few staffers were left
on the platform for maintenance purposes.
The staff and facility are protected by two gunboats belonging to the
Joint Task Force (JTF).