By George Onah
PORT HARCOURT — Following the increase in the series of damage to its pipelines by suspected crude oil thieves in Bonny area, Rivers State, the Shell Petroleum Development Company has called on the government and security agencies to check the disturbing practice.

In a statement issued in Port Harcourt, yesterday, the company said the alarming attacks had become too many, stressing that there was the need for stakeholders to help stop the unhealthy trend.

The statement said between August 1st and 12th  this year alone, SPDC recorded three separate sabotage incidents on its Cawthorne Channel – Bonny and Alakiri – Bonny pipelines, where suspected crude thieves drilled holes or inflicted hacksaw cuts to siphon oil.

Shell’s Vice President for Health, Safety and Environment and Infrastructure and Logistics in Africa, Babs Omotowa, said: “Each incident was thoroughly investigated by a Joint Investigation Team, JIT, comprising government agencies, regulators, SPDC and community representatives.

“It confirmed the cause as sabotage. In the latest incident, the investigating team discovered three hacksaw cuts on the Cawthorne Channel – Bonny pipeline. We have informed the relevant authorities of the incidents.”

Responding to the most recent incident reported on August 12, Omotowa said SPDC immediately mobilised its oil response team and deployed containment booms to prevent further spread of crude oil into the environment.

According to him, this was followed up by enlisting the support of Clean Nigeria Associates, an industry body which facilitates containment and clean up of spills.

He said the JIT was currently in affected areas undertaking oil spill mapping work.
Omotowa said:   “The environmental and social cost of widespread sabotage is simply unacceptable. Last year, 98% of the oil spilled from SPDC operations was caused by sabotage.

“It is our policy to clean up spills regardless of the cause. While we continue to contain and recover oil spilled from the Cawthorne Channel – Bonny pipeline and other facilities, our task is made more difficult if people insist on carrying out sabotage attacks and causing spills.

“Meanwhile, SPDC is working to carry out repair of the Cawthorne Channel – Bonny pipeline, as soon as the JIT completes its task.”