By Oke Peter
No fewer than 14 crude oil export terminals in the country were shut down in April and May this year owing to power outage and pipeline leakage, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation has said.
According to data in NNPC’s latest monthly report, a total of 4.36 million barrels of oil could not be produced in the period as a result of the shutdowns.
The corporation said there was production shut-in at Egina terminal for eight days (April 1-6 and 13-15) due to power outage, coupled with shutdown due to faulty transmitter on cooling water pump.
It said the incident led to a total shut-in of 441,443 barrels of crude oil.
The corporation said Shell declared force majeure on exports from Forcados terminal on April 6 following the shutdown of Trans Forcados Pipeline on April 4 due to two leak points at Eweresigbene and Odidi which required pipeline sectional replacement of the line.
The NNPC said the shut-in at the terminal was for nine days with a total loss of 1.62 million barrels.
At Bonny terminal, a fire incident on some sections of the Trans Niger Pipeline on April 9 led to production shut-in of about 30,000 barrels per day for two days.
“Also, Aiteo instructed cessation of injections into the Nembe Creek Trunk Line at 1244hrs on April 24 following reported leaks at Moneygram/Adamakiri axis. This had a production impact of 120,000 bpd over a period of four days.”
The NNPC said an emergency shutdown at Agbami terminal on April 9 and 15 and pressure build-up and safety instrumentation system test on Agb-3, 29 and 37 caused a total loss of 105,076 barrels.
It said a total of 427,041 barrels was lost at Qua Iboe terminal due to process offset at Usari; Edop production platform shutdown as a result of flare valve failure; and Ubit wells shut-in for flare management and maintenance.
According to the report, there was shut-in at Erha terminal for 23 days (April 4-26) with a total production loss of 582,176 barrels as PW-10 were shut down and HGOR wells were put on minimum choke to optimise flare.
At Brass Terminal, Ogbainbiri/Tebiadaba 18-inch line was reportedly vandalised on April 8, and the platform stopped delivery into Nigerian Agip Oil Company facility two days (May 25-26), leading to a production loss of 37,000 barrels.
The NNPC said an emergency plant shutdown at Akpo terminal from April 6 to 10 due to “spurious gas leak detection and production shut-in from April 13-17 due to unavailability of gas injection compressor” caused a loss of 160,170 barrels.
It said production shut-in at Bonga terminal as a result of fire incident on a pump led to a loss of 80,000 barrels over a period of two days.
A total loss of 208,797 barrels was reported at Yoyo terminal due to Yoho wells shut-in for flare management for 19 days (April 11-29).
Ogo Ocha, Ima, Ajapa and Usan terminals lost 106,612 barrels, 30,000 barrels; 6,307 barrels and 10,400 barrels respectively.
