Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09LAGOS281
2009-07-07 12:57:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Consulate Lagos
Cable title:
NIGERIA: KEY CHEVRON FLOWSTATION ATTACKED; OIL
how-toVZCZCXRO4294 PP RUEHPA DE RUEHOS #0281 1881257 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 071257Z JUL 09 FM AMCONSUL LAGOS TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0849 INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE RUEHUJA/AMEMBASSY ABUJA 0440 RUZEJAA/JAC MOLESWORTH AFB UK RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE RHMFISS/COMUSNAVEUR NAPLES IT
C O N F I D E N T I A L LAGOS 000281
SIPDIS
DOE FOR GPERSON, CHAYLOCK
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/07/2019
TAGS: EPET ENRG PGOV NI
SUBJECT: NIGERIA: KEY CHEVRON FLOWSTATION ATTACKED; OIL
PRODUCTION DOWN
REF: LAGOS 262
Classified By: Consul General Donna M. Blair for reasons 1.4 (B) and (D
)
C O N F I D E N T I A L LAGOS 000281
SIPDIS
DOE FOR GPERSON, CHAYLOCK
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/07/2019
TAGS: EPET ENRG PGOV NI
SUBJECT: NIGERIA: KEY CHEVRON FLOWSTATION ATTACKED; OIL
PRODUCTION DOWN
REF: LAGOS 262
Classified By: Consul General Donna M. Blair for reasons 1.4 (B) and (D
)
1. (C) Chevron's Okan flowstation located 7 miles offshore of
Delta State was attacked on the evening of July 5. Okan is a
key node in Chevron's near offshore oilfields, connecting
those fields to the Escravos export terminal onshore as well
as connecting the Escravos terminal to the offshore export
buoys where oil tankers receive crude for export. Chevron is
still assessing the damage, but Femi Odumabo, Chevron Nigeria
Government Relations Manager told Energyoff on July 7 he
expects Chevron to declare force majeure on Escravos crude
oil loadings. Odumabo said all near offshore production
feeding Escravos has been shut-in as a result of the attack.
No Amcits were hurt in the attack. When asked about
Nigeria's current daily oil production, Odumabo said he
thought 1.3 million barrels per day (bpd) was an accurate
estimate, but that number may fall to 1 million depending on
the size of Chevron's force majeure. Another contact with
close ties to NNPC reported similar numbers on July 7.
2. (C) The attack may have been more extensive than reported
in the press. A contact with a major Chevron subcontractor
shared photographs of "well jackets" reportedly damaged in an
attack the same night the Okan facility was hit. The
photographs, taken by one of the contractor's Escravos-based
employees the morning after the attack, show a heavily
damaged oil platform tilted to one side, a large fire, and a
ruptured pipe spewing what looks to be crude oil. The
contact reported however, that Chevron is not evacuating
additional personnel from Escravos and is seeking to repair
the damage quickly rather than wait for the security
situation to improve. This contact believes all of Chevron's
Escravos production is shut-in.
3. (C) Comment: Although some security officers with local
oil companies purport to see broad "MEND" coordination and
planning behind these attacks, there is no particular reason
to believe that's the case. Angry followers of Tompolo
scattered after the May 15 JTF assault on Camp Five could
just as easily be acting independently or with only general
guidance from Tompolo. We've said it before (reftel),but it
bears repeating: the network of pipelines, flowstations and
wellheads strewn across the Niger Delta swamps and near
offshore are vulnerable to anyone with a grievance, a canoe,
some dynamite, and a little knowledge of the creeks and oil
infrastructure. Securing this extensive network is a
daunting task, although key nodes like the Okan flowstation
should be obvious locations for increased JTF protection.
End Comment.
4. (U) This cable cleared with Embassy Abuja.
BLAIR
SIPDIS
DOE FOR GPERSON, CHAYLOCK
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/07/2019
TAGS: EPET ENRG PGOV NI
SUBJECT: NIGERIA: KEY CHEVRON FLOWSTATION ATTACKED; OIL
PRODUCTION DOWN
REF: LAGOS 262
Classified By: Consul General Donna M. Blair for reasons 1.4 (B) and (D
)
1. (C) Chevron's Okan flowstation located 7 miles offshore of
Delta State was attacked on the evening of July 5. Okan is a
key node in Chevron's near offshore oilfields, connecting
those fields to the Escravos export terminal onshore as well
as connecting the Escravos terminal to the offshore export
buoys where oil tankers receive crude for export. Chevron is
still assessing the damage, but Femi Odumabo, Chevron Nigeria
Government Relations Manager told Energyoff on July 7 he
expects Chevron to declare force majeure on Escravos crude
oil loadings. Odumabo said all near offshore production
feeding Escravos has been shut-in as a result of the attack.
No Amcits were hurt in the attack. When asked about
Nigeria's current daily oil production, Odumabo said he
thought 1.3 million barrels per day (bpd) was an accurate
estimate, but that number may fall to 1 million depending on
the size of Chevron's force majeure. Another contact with
close ties to NNPC reported similar numbers on July 7.
2. (C) The attack may have been more extensive than reported
in the press. A contact with a major Chevron subcontractor
shared photographs of "well jackets" reportedly damaged in an
attack the same night the Okan facility was hit. The
photographs, taken by one of the contractor's Escravos-based
employees the morning after the attack, show a heavily
damaged oil platform tilted to one side, a large fire, and a
ruptured pipe spewing what looks to be crude oil. The
contact reported however, that Chevron is not evacuating
additional personnel from Escravos and is seeking to repair
the damage quickly rather than wait for the security
situation to improve. This contact believes all of Chevron's
Escravos production is shut-in.
3. (C) Comment: Although some security officers with local
oil companies purport to see broad "MEND" coordination and
planning behind these attacks, there is no particular reason
to believe that's the case. Angry followers of Tompolo
scattered after the May 15 JTF assault on Camp Five could
just as easily be acting independently or with only general
guidance from Tompolo. We've said it before (reftel),but it
bears repeating: the network of pipelines, flowstations and
wellheads strewn across the Niger Delta swamps and near
offshore are vulnerable to anyone with a grievance, a canoe,
some dynamite, and a little knowledge of the creeks and oil
infrastructure. Securing this extensive network is a
daunting task, although key nodes like the Okan flowstation
should be obvious locations for increased JTF protection.
End Comment.
4. (U) This cable cleared with Embassy Abuja.
BLAIR