Worried by the alarming rate of crude oil
theft, a loss estimated at over $6 billion annually, President Goodluck
Jonathan has begun soliciting the support of the global community to
help address the challenge.
Minister of Petroleum, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke disclosed, yesterday, during her presentation at the on-going 2013 Nigeria Oil and Gas (NOG) conference and exhibition in Abuja, that Jonathan met with the British Prime Minister, David Cameron, last week on the issue.
She said that Nigeria was championing the crude oil finger print to detect crude oil theft as purchased by other nations but declined to mention the states involved.
"I cannot mention the states because the issue of vandalism and bunkering are major security issues and the security services will be working on these issues hand in hand with us; the President of course will be the one to begin to call on his colleagues from other countries who could assist us in phasing out this menace.
"We already have Mr. President meeting with David Cameron a week ago and it came up there and they pledged to assist us fully in dealing with this and as the structures are put in place, they will begin to come on board, they are very ardent at joining us to actually rid ourselves of these particular scourge but I cannot begin to list the countries right now," she said.
She said although her ministry was working on addressing the issue of vandalism along with the service chiefs, government is still seeking support of international communities, and noted that "the expectation is that within the next 12-18 months, we will see a very significant decrease in oil theft."
She, however, noted that in the last 12 months the country has maintained an oil production of 2.4 million barrels per day (bpd) with increased gas production from 6.3 to 7.8mscuf/d while it has achieved a decrease in gas flare to less than 11 per cent compared to 20 per cent in 2010, which is expected to further drop to two per cent by 2017.
She also disclosed plans to further increase power generation by additional 40 per cent to at least six gigawatts with the addition of another 450mscuf/d of gas supplied to power generation.
The minister noted that the US shale gas technology was already affecting Nigeria's oil export and expressed the need for the nation's oil industry to improve its efficiency and technical creativity to ensure an increase in levels of proficiency.
Minister of Petroleum, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke disclosed, yesterday, during her presentation at the on-going 2013 Nigeria Oil and Gas (NOG) conference and exhibition in Abuja, that Jonathan met with the British Prime Minister, David Cameron, last week on the issue.
She said that Nigeria was championing the crude oil finger print to detect crude oil theft as purchased by other nations but declined to mention the states involved.
"I cannot mention the states because the issue of vandalism and bunkering are major security issues and the security services will be working on these issues hand in hand with us; the President of course will be the one to begin to call on his colleagues from other countries who could assist us in phasing out this menace.
"We already have Mr. President meeting with David Cameron a week ago and it came up there and they pledged to assist us fully in dealing with this and as the structures are put in place, they will begin to come on board, they are very ardent at joining us to actually rid ourselves of these particular scourge but I cannot begin to list the countries right now," she said.
She said although her ministry was working on addressing the issue of vandalism along with the service chiefs, government is still seeking support of international communities, and noted that "the expectation is that within the next 12-18 months, we will see a very significant decrease in oil theft."
She, however, noted that in the last 12 months the country has maintained an oil production of 2.4 million barrels per day (bpd) with increased gas production from 6.3 to 7.8mscuf/d while it has achieved a decrease in gas flare to less than 11 per cent compared to 20 per cent in 2010, which is expected to further drop to two per cent by 2017.
She also disclosed plans to further increase power generation by additional 40 per cent to at least six gigawatts with the addition of another 450mscuf/d of gas supplied to power generation.
The minister noted that the US shale gas technology was already affecting Nigeria's oil export and expressed the need for the nation's oil industry to improve its efficiency and technical creativity to ensure an increase in levels of proficiency.
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