Oil theft: Tompolo discovers more illegal pipelines connected to high sea in Delta
Oghentejiri Nyerhovwo, Warri
Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited(TSS), a private surveillance comoany led by High Chief Government Ekpemupolo also known as Tompolo has discovered more massive illegal crude oil pipelines attached to Trans Forcados Export Trunkline.
The latest discoveries, sources said, were coming days after operatives of Tantita Security Services uncovered an illegal 4-kilometre pipeline connected from the Trans Escravos line into the sea.
With the latest discoveries, it was learnt that Tantita Security Services operatives have so far uncovered more than 58 illegal tapping points used by crude oil thieves on the nation’s oil pipelines in two States of Delta and Bayelsa.
It was gathered that the newly-discovered illegal crude oil pipeline was connected directly to the high sea in Delta State.
According to sources, the illegal pipeline discovered a few days ago was connected to the 48-inch Trans Forcados Export Trunkline in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State
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One of the sources noted with concern that the latest discovery was directly behind a military security post, which is less than one kilometre from the Forcados Export Terminal in Ogulagha community.
The source also revealed that the illegal pipeline was connected to another abandoned pipeline located within the vicinity and owned by a multinational petroleum company, adding that it was through this company’s abandoned facility that the bunkers ship the crude to the sea for loading and onward movement abroad.
The Forcados Terminal located in Ogulagha, Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State, is said to have a nameplate capacity to export 400,000 barrels per day and receives crude oil from the Forcados Oil Pipeline System, which is the second largest pipeline network in the oil-producing region, after the Bonny Oil Pipeline System in the Eastern Niger Delta.
More so, it was stated that some International Oil Companies (IOCs) and Nigerian independents operating in the Western Niger Delta pump oil to the Forcados Oil Terminal for exports.
It will be recalled that Tantita Security Services Limited had only last week apprehended a vessel named MT Deima with International Maritime Organisation (IMO) number 7210525, while loading crude oil illegally along the Escravos river in Delta State.
The arrested vessel which was handed over to officials of the Joint Task Force otherwise known as Operation Delta Safe was eventually set ablaze by the military officials 48-hours after the arrest.
When contacted, the Managing Director of Tantita Security Services, Chief Keston Pondi said that he was on a boat enroute Oporoza, in the Gbaramatu Kingdom, adding, “on my way to show the place to NNPC officials”
According to Chief Pondi, “the illegal tappings discovered so far are so much that I cannot just tell you a figure right now. I don’t want to give you wrong figure.
Only in the western corridor alone, we have discovered so much. Please, give me just a little more time, so I will be able to give you the accurate figure discovered so far”.
Meanwhile, officials of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited led by the General Manager, Joint Venture Operations of National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS), Zakariya Buduwara, on Saturday visited the sites of the newly uncovered illegal crude oil pipelines attached to Trans Forcados Export Trunkline in the Niger Delta oil fields, and paid glowing tributes to operatives of Tantita Security Services led by High Chief Government Ekpemupolo popularly known as Tompolo, for their discoveries.
The assessment visit revealed that the perpetrators of the latest crime had tapped into Shell’s 48-inch Export line from where crude was illegally siphoned into waiting vessels ready for shipment.
Commenting on the discovery, Zakariya Buduwara declared pointedly that “Tantita Security Services have been doing a great job”.
He disclosed that “NNPC has been on its toes in trying to bring stability to the host communities. I want to also commended the host communities for their support in securing oil and gas facilities especially the one we saw which has to do with the crude evacuation line”.
Zakariya however appealed to all stakeholders to step up efforts in joining force to battle the oil thieves and other saboteurs to standstill.
He said, “All these we are doing is to ensure and also assure Nigerians that we are doing something to curb the menace of this oil theft. “
“All you have seen is a demonstration of the collaborative efforts of all the stakeholders. No one can do it alone. We can all do it together to achieve our desired objectives”.
Also speaking on the discoveries, the Marine Intelligence Consultant for Tantita Security Services, Captain Warredi Enisuoh, disclosed that the operatives had got intelligence on the modus operandi of the oil thieves much earlier, adding, “but we actually discovered this about a week ago, after we’ve gotten full support of NNPC to go in”.
