NNPC Impounds Vessel Used In Stealing Nigeria’s Crude Oil

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd (NNPC) has arrested a vessel used for illegal crude oil sales in the oil rich Niger-Delta region.

The arrest was made on Thursday night, according to clip sent to THE WHISTLER on Friday.

“This is the boat they are using for their illegal bunkering. It is from oversees and it was arrested last night. It is called B I Vessel. This is the loading point,” said Monday Bright, a staff of Interatlas Synergy Nigeria Limited and a security at Tantita Security Nigeria Limited.

Although the details of the arrest are still sketchy, the development is coming barely a week after military fighter bombed some illegal refinery sites at Warri-Pantani sites and Burutu, a local government in Delta and Egbema areas of Ohaji/Egbema LGA among others.

During the operations between Sunday September 25, 2022 through September 29, 2022 some of the alleged oil thieves and vandals arrested.

Findings by THE WHISTLER reveals that the vessel BI which was seized on Thursday was built in 1993 with an its IMO number as 9084554.

Findings via VesselFinder, a website that tracks vessels revealed that the registered owners of the vessel are the Chinese Government.

The operation is part of the government efforts to curb the menace caused by crude oil thieves and oil assets vandals in the country.

Nigeria is losing around 700,000 barrels of crude oil daily due to the activities of vandals and thieves.

On Tuesday, the NNPC Group Chief Executive Officer, Mele Kyari said the company uncovered an illegal oil connection from Forcados Terminal that operated for nine years.

Kyari said, “Oil theft in the country has been going on for over 22 years but the dimension and rate it assumed in recent times is unprecedented. The combined effect is that you have lost 600,000 barrels per day when you do a reality test.

“As a result of oil theft, Nigeria loses about 600,000 barrels per day, which is not healthy for the nation’s economy, and in particular, the legal operators in the field, which had led to a close down of some of their operational facilities.”