NNPCL Loses 26,391 BPD to Theft, Illegal Refineries

Nigeria's Crude Oil Theft Epidemic

The main culprits behind this decline are crude oil theft, vandalism, and...

NNPCL's crude oil production declines by 26,391 barrels per day due to rampant theft and illegal refining activities.

Nigeria's crude oil and condensate production took a hit in September 2024, decreasing by 26,391 barrels per day from 1.57 million barrels per day in August 2024, according to the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC). This drop brings the country's production down to 1.54 million barrels per day.

Production Breakdown:

Crude Oil: 1.32 million barrels per day

Blended Condensate: 57,774 barrels per day

Unblended Condensate: 162,223 barrels per day

The main culprits behind this decline are crude oil theft, vandalism, and illegal refining in the Niger Delta. To combat this, security operatives have been working tirelessly, uncovering 66 illegal crude oil refineries and 21 illegal pipeline connections in the region. The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) assures that the fight against crude oil theft is ongoing, with significant progress being made through industry-wide security collaboration on hydrocarbon infrastructure.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has been actively combating oil theft in the Niger Delta region. Recently, the company reported that various security agencies and partners, including NNPC Command and Control Centre, NNPCL 18, Tantita Security Agency, Shell Petroleum Development Company, Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited, Maton Engineering Limited, and government security agencies, detected and reported multiple incidents of oil theft.

Oil Theft Incidents by Region:

• Central Corridors: 61 incidents
• Eastern Corridors: 59 incidents
• Western Corridors: 19 incidents
• Deep Blue Waters: 33 incidents

NNPCL's efforts to curb oil theft have led to significant discoveries and destruction of illegal refineries. In Bayelsa State, specifically in Odioma and Obioku, security forces cracked down on makeshift refineries that had polluted the land for years. These refineries were among the 63 illegal refineries seized by NNPCL in a one-week crackdown. Additionally, 19 illegal pipeline connections were recovered, and repairs were undertaken across several locations in Bayelsa and other states.

The war against oil theft is ongoing, with NNPCL collaborating with government security agencies to eradicate the menace. The company has made it clear that it will not back down until oil theft is completely eradicated.