In sustaining it’s ongoing onslaught against crude oil theft and pipeline vandalism in the Niger Delta, the Nigerian Navy foraid uncovered another huge crude oil siphoning mechanism attached to an Oil Mining Lease (OML) 18 wellhead, located in Elem-Krakama, in Degema Local Government Area of the State.
The Nigeria Navy Ship (NNS) Pathfinder in July 2023 uncovered a similar mechanism attached to another OML 18 wellhead in Kala Ekweama community in Asari-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers.
Briefing Newsmen on the successes of Operation Delta Sanity on Thursday, the Commander, Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Pathfinder, Commodore Desmond Igbo, disclosed that several wellheads were tapped by vandals in the oil field which is one of the highest production lines for the NNPCL.
He said the latest achievement had stopped the criminals from stealing and sabotaging the national economy, stressing that with the discovery and destruction of the illegal facility, NNPCL production was currently going smoothly at the sites.
He said: “OML 18 is a vital oil wellhead belonging to NNPC, and we dismantled the pipes connected to the wellhead to prevent oil theft on a significant scale, the success of this operation has contributed to the increase in crude oil production from this site.
“OML 18 oil field has several well heads and the production there also is one of the major production lines for NNPC so we have stopped these criminals from stealing. We also have a wellhead 15 that one also is one of the major well head of nnpcl and we also succeeded in stopping crude oil theft at this site as well and Currently production is going on smoothly at these sites.”
Igbo further stated that the overall aim of Operation Delta Sanity was to reduce maritime insecurity such as crude oil theft, kidnapping, cultism, and illegal oil bunkering in the oil rich region.
He noted that since the inception of the operation, criminality along the waterways had drastically reduced, attributing the success to its collaboration with other maritime stakeholders, as well as the deployment of non-kinetic approaches to addressing the maritime challenges.
He added that NNS Pathfinder had since prioritised collaborative efforts with state governments and other security agencies in enhancing emergency search and rescue efforts in cases of maritime accidents.
Igbo underscored the importance of quick response in protecting lives and properties during waterways mishaps, stressing the importance of dismantling illegal connections to the wellheads as a way of curbing large-scale oil theft from the critical national economic assets which according to him had been going on for a long time undetected.
“We are working closely with state governments and stakeholders to establish search and rescue departments and overcome challenges such as crude oil theft in the Niger Delta region, also Our civil-military relationships with host communities have also improved through initiatives such as free medical outreaches, with plans for education programs imminent once schools resume sessions.”
