By Clara Nwachukwu

Given the complexity of attacks, an industry expert, Mr. Emeka Okwuosa has called for the adoption of a multi-dimensional approach to effectively curb the resurgence of pipeline vandalism. Recent attacks on oil and gas pipelines have cost Nigeria almost half of its daily crude oil production, in addition to denying power generating plants the needed gas supply, thereby depressing the nation’s electricity output to a new low of about 600 megaawatts in the past week.

Speaking on how to tackle the hydra-headed issue, Okwuosa, who is the Executive President, Oilserv Group, identified a number of ways including: technological deployment, policing the pipelines and community engagement.

Okwuosa said these during an interactive session with journalists at the just-concluded, Offshore Technology Conference, OTC, in Houston Texas.

Engagement of stakeholders

According to him, “There are many ways to secure a pipeline but the most important way is by engagement of stakeholders, particularly government and various entities including communities and all manner of people that are impacted or have direct impact on it.

“There are also various forms of technology, like the fibre-optic protection system, which is being installed on the pipelines we are building, even though it was not part of the original scope.”

Okwuosa, whose company is constructing the Ob-Ob two billion standard cubic feet gas pipeline, argued that pipeline vandals should be treated as economic saboteurs. “The clear thing is that tampering with the gas pipeline is a clear case of sabotage because you do not tamper with gas pipeline to steal the gas like you do oil.

“The incidence of gas pipeline vandalism is not normal, and whenever it happens it means that whoever has gone all the way to do that is committing purely an act of sabotage. Do not look at it as something that is spurred by economic gain.”