The Nigeria Agip Oil Company (NAOC) on Saturday says the boost in
crude Nigeria’s oil production to about 25 million barrels per day is due to
improvements in security in the Niger Delta region in the past two years.
The oil firm applauded the Joint military force deployed to the
Niger Delta for curbing restiveness and providing a peaceful atmosphere for
uninterrupted oil production.
Outgoing General Manager. Port Harcourt District of NAOC Marco
Rondo gave the commendation during a courtesy visit to the headquarters of the
joint force christened Operation Delta Safe in Yenagoa, Bayelsa.
Rondo said that the operations of the joint force against
militancy and oil theft had stabilised the operations of the oil firm and
reduced incidents of oil theft across its operations in Rivers and Bayelsa.
He noted that security was critical to the operations of the oil
firm which produces some 80 per cent of its oil export from Nigeria.
It will be recalled that NAOC had on March 3013 shut down its
activities at oil fields in Bayelsa, from which it produced about 40 000
barrels of crude oil daily, over high incidence of oil theft.
NAOC had stated that it was losing about 7,000 barrels of its
crude production daily to oil thieves in Bayelsa, a development the firm
described as unsustainable, necessitating the shutdown.
NAOC subsequently resumed operations few months afterwards when
security to the area was reinforced.
Rondo who said that the rate of oil theft had dropped drastically
within the past two years appealed to the Commander of Operation Delta Safe to
extend the support to the incoming General Manager Mr Tiatti Alissandra.
Responding Rear Admiral Suileman Apochi, Commander of the joint
force noted that it was gratifying to note that the operations of the military
was adding value to oil and gas operations and leading to a boost in oil
output.
He said that several oil firms operating in Niger Delta had
expressed satisfaction with the improved security in the region in the recent
past during interactions with the Command.
“We are glad that our modest efforts are being appreciated by oil
industry operators and we remain committed to our duty, we are here because of
the mandate of the federal government.
“We have no choice than to do what we are doing because that is
our job, we are committed to service to our fatherland,” Apochi said.
Also in the Agip delegation were Mr Dennis Masi, Public Affairs
Manager, Mr Stanley Umokoro, and Security Manager while the Unit Commanders in
Operation Delta Safe witnessed the ceremony.
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