|
|
Shell Resumes 170,000bpd Production in
This Day (
By Fidelia Okwuonu,
Royal
Dutch Shell yesterday resumed operations in the Niger Delta to restore 170,000
barrels per day (bpd) of crude oil production after a protest at its major
pipeline hub.
According
to Shell's spokesman, the company has regained access to its Ogoni site, after the six-day protest in the Ogoni area of the Niger Delta, which had raised the tally
of oil supply cut by violence to about 900,000 bpd, or one third of total
capacity in the country.
The
Dutch oil giant had halted oil production in the Ogoni
area 14 years ago as a result of popular protests, which were a precursor to
today's violent insurgency in the Niger Delta.
The
spokesperson added that the Anglo-Dutch company has already reopened one of the
valves at the pipeline complex in the area, and would test the system before
fully restoring oil flows. Villagers from K-Dere
community had staged a protest to demand a stake in the oil flowing through
their land, but vacated the site on Wednesday after their elders promised to
settle the issue in talks with Shell over the next few days.
Meanwhile,
According
to a report, rebels fighting for local control over oil wealth have stepped up
attacks to press their demands, but the line between militancy and crime are
blurred and frequent kidnappings are mostly motivated by money.
Twelve
foreigners are still being held hostage there after a Belarussian
woman working as an industry contractor, who was abducted on May 5 in
http://allafrica.com/stories/printable/200705190044.html