TWO SHELL FLOWSTATIONS CLOSE AFTER SUSPICIOUS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 LAGOS 001933

SIPDIS

STATE FOR AF/W
STATE FOR CA/OCS/FROBINSON
STATE FOR EB/ESC/IEC/ENR/BLEVINE
STATE FOR DS/IP/AF
STAT FOR INR/AA
STATE PASS DOE FOR DAS JBRODMAN AND CGAY
STATE PASS TREASURY FOR ASEVERENS AND SRENENDER
STATE PASS DOC FOR PHUPER
STATE PASS TRANSPORTATION FOR MARAD
STATE PASS OPIC FOR CDUFFY
STATE PASS TDA FOR BTERNET
STATE PASS EXIM FOR JRICHTER
STATE PASS USTR FOR ASST USTR SLISER
STATE PASS USAID FOR GWEYNAND AND SLAWAETZ

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/08/2014
TAGS: EPET EINV CASC PGOV ASEC PTER KHLS EWWT NI
SUBJECT: TWO SHELL FLOWSTATIONS CLOSE AFTER SUSPICIOUS
PIPELINE EXPLOSION

Classified By: Classified By: Consul General Brian L. Browne for Reason
s 1.4 (D & E)

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Summary
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1. (U) According to several credible sources, an
unidentified group of armed men damaged a section of an oil
pipeline in the Andoni local government area of Rivers State
the evening of December 19. Shell Petroleum Development
Company (SPDC) shut down two flowstations, producing 170,000
barrels per day (BPD),that were feeding into the now
ruptured pipeline. SPDC hopes to repair the damage and put
the stations back on line soon. The gang also reportedly
deracinated several villages in the area after warning
villagers to leave. Villagers maintain that eight people
died in the attacks.

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Attack Kills Eight, Destroys Barge
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2. (U) Monwan Etete, chairman of the Andoni local
government area of Rivers State, near Port Harcourt, reported
that a gang of "militiamen" carrying explosives and guns and
purporting to be members of Dokubo Asari's Niger Delta
People's Volunter Force (NDPVF) appeared in his area around
9:00 p.m. on December 19 warning locals to leave their
villages. By 9:30 the gunmen proceded to burn down several
villages until they reached the town of Opobo. They
allegedly dynamited a section of oil pipeline, causing a
large explosion and an ensuing fire, which continued to burn
through December 21. During the evening, a Smit Company tug
boat and an NNLG tanker were attacked, perhaps by the same or
an affiliated group of marauders. Etete reported eight
villagers died that evening.

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SPDC Closes Two Flowstations until Fires Quenched
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3. (C) Don Boham, Public Relations Director for SPDC,
confirmed the company shut the two flowstations in order not
to continue to feed the fire. He said the company had hopes
to have the flowstations back on line before December 24.
After a fly-by over the site on December 21, though, they
determined the fire's intensity was too great and was not
sufficiently contained to allow a repair team access to the
ruptured pipeline. Consequently, their timeline for resuming
operations will be delayed. He said no company personnel
died, and he could not confirm the identity of the arsonists.
SPDC has contacted the GON to ensure heightened security in
the area. Flowstation closure will temporarily reduce
production by 170,000 BPD, or about 7% of total production.


4. (C) Officials from the State Security Service (SSS) told
an Exxon Mobil Security Advisor that the coordination of the
attack and the inclusion of the SMIT tug and the NNLG tanker
indicated gang or militia group involvement. Apparently, a
statement was released claiming the attack was in protest
against the impeachment and current criminal trial of former
Bayelsa Governor Alamieyeseigha. Most oil companies and
service companies we contacted believe there will be
additional attacks.

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Comment
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5. (C) The explosion of the pipeline does not look like an
oil bunkering attempt gone badly awry, according to credible
sources. The attack and the destruction look purposeful.
That the attack occurred with Asari in jail pending a treason
trial and Alamieyeseigha's criminal trial just beginning
cannot be viewed as mere coincidence. That said, we do not
yet know if the culprits are one of the known militia groups
or if a new brutal actor has emerged on the already violent
scene in the Delta. The real question is whether this
represents a symbolic, one-time show of destructive intent,
perhaps in protest to the predicament of Asari and/or
Alamieyeseigha, or if this is a harbinger of the future
tactics of at least one Delta militia. If the latter, the
question then becomes, does the GON have the ability to stop
it.
BROWNE