THE Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) said it recorded a total of forty-five thousand,three hundred and forty seven pipeline breaks on its downstream pipeline network between 2001 and in the first six months of this year.
It said it has pledged to deepen collaboration with the Nigerian Navy to tackle the menace of oil theft and attacks on oil and gas facilities across the country.
Its GMD, Mallam Mele Kyari, made this disclosure in a keynote address at the Nigeria International Pipeline Technology and Security Conference and Exhibition organised by the Pipelines Professionals Association of Nigeria (PLAN) in Abuja on Wednesday.
He said last year alone, a total of 19 fire incidents were recorded on the petroleum products pipelines, stressing that the theme of this year’s conference: Pipeline Assets: Critical Backbone for Socio-Economic Development, resonated with the thinking at the NNPC on the need to reinforce the narrative of the critical role of pipeline assets to the nation’s energy security and economic progress.
He said it was difficult for the oil and gas industry to deliver much value to the economy without effective and efficient pipelines operations.
“As a major player in the oil and gas industry, NNPC operates over Five thousand kilometers of pipelines traversing many communities to link terminals, Three refineries and Twenty depots for efficient transportation of crude oil and refined products. In addition, NNPC has over one hundred and seven thousand kilometers of natural gas pipelines to supply gas to power plants and gas-based industries, including deliveries to trans-national reception points,” the GMD quipped.
He lamented that these huge pipeline assets have become difficult to operate efficiently as a result of incessant activities of vandals and other criminal syndicates that were becoming increasingly sophisticated.
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