The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited has discovered a total of 122 illegal oil refining sites in the past week across the Niger Delta region.
The NNPCL said that in Akwa Ibom State, a filling station has been closed for the sale of illegal refined fuels to motorists.
This was disclosed in a documentary by NNPCL on Tuesday, according to The Punch.
In the documentary, 65 illegal pipeline connections were uncovered and removed within the past week in Rivers and other states in the oil-rich Niger Delta.
“310 incidents were recorded between May 18 and 24 across the Niger Delta region,” the NNPCL disclosed while reeling out its efforts in fighting oil theft and vandalism.
It is reported that a filling station at Grey Creek in Akwa Ibom State was found selling illegally refined fuel.
There were 122 unauthorized refineries identified in Tomble II, III, IV, Umuajuloke, Rivers State, and Oporomor III, Eduwini, and Ajatiton in Bayelsa State.
According to the report, vandalized well heads were found in Tomble IV, Rivers, and Egbema in Imo State.
A pit filled with crude oil from a vandalised wellhead was also discovered.
NNPCL reported the sighting of five unauthorized storage sites containing oil stored in sacks, pits, cans, and a filling station.
In Delta and Imo states, authorities confiscated a total of twenty vehicles, one of which was a tanker. Additionally, across various creeks in Bayelsa and Delta states, a total of 29 boats carrying crude oil or illegally refined products were seized.
The CEO of NNPCL Group, Mele Kyari, stressed the importance of addressing insecurity in the oil and gas industry to boost production.
Kyari stated that the country’s crude oil production is continuously decreasing because of oil theft and vandalism.
“How do you increase oil production? Remove the security challenge we have in our onshore assets. As we all know, the security challenge is real. It is not just about theft, it is about the availability of the infrastructure to deliver the volume to the market.”
