Shell evacuates workers
2006-01-15 18:20
London - Royal Dutch Shell plc said on Sunday it had started evacuating some flowstations serving Nigeria's Trans Ramos pipeline after one of them was attacked on Sunday, further highlighting security risks in the oil-rich Niger Delta.
Following the growing insecurity in the area, Shell Petroleum Development Company, or SPDC, "commenced evacuation of personnel on duty from Benisede, and neighbouring flowstations," which all had already been shut as a result of the vandalisation of the Trans Ramos Wednesday, Shell said in a statement.
The facilities are operated by SPDC, in which the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation holds 55%, Shell, 30%, a Total SA -owned local unit, 10%, and Agip SpA, 5%.
"Heavily armed persons, in the early hours of Sunday" attacked the Benisede flowstation "in speed boats, burnt down two staff accommodations, damaged the processing facilities and left," Shell said, confirming previous statements by the Nigerian military.
On Friday, Shell declared force majeure on 106 000 barrels a day of Nigerian Forcados oil following attacks on the Trans-Ramos pipeline, in Bayelsa state.
The Shell statement on Sunday added "injured persons have been moved to (nearby) Warri for proper medical attention," without elaborating.
On Wednesday, gunmen attacked Shell's EA platform in shallow waters near the delta coast, seizing a Bulgarian, a US citizen, a Briton and a Honduran.