Nigerian militants to continue with destruction of oil operations

Paris (Platts)--18Jan2006

Nigerian militants are getting ready to release four foreign oil workers
abducted last week from a support vessel servicing Shell's offshore EA field
but the group, the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, has vowed
to continue with the destruction of Nigeria's oil operations, an industry
source told Platts Wednesday.
     "I have just spoken with the boys in the creeks and they are getting
ready to release the hostages but they will continue with the destruction. We
are just working out the details now," the source said. 
     "They will continue with the destruction of oil operations in the Delta
until the government fulfills their demands but they are not going to do that
while holding the expatriates," he added.
     The men--an American, a Briton, a Bulgarian and a Honduran--were seized
Jan 11 by armed separatists and are thought to be hidden in the creeks of the
Niger Delta.
     "I think they will be released very soon. I don't think it will be today
but it could be tomorrow or next week," he added.
     Nigeria's President Olusegun in an emergency meetings with senior
security chiefs set up a team to coordinate moves to free the four men.
     MEND, which seeks independence for 14-mil strong Ijaw people, has
demanded the release of Ijaw leaders Mujahid Dokubo-Asari, a delta warlord who
appeared in court on Tuesday to face treason charges, and Diepreye
Alamieyeseigha, a former state governor accused of embezzlement.
     After the kidnappings, Ijaw militants blew up a major pipeline feeding
the Forcados export terminal and, on Sunday, attacked the Benisede flow
station operated by Shell, killing at least five soldiers.
     The crisis has forced to cut its production by 226,000 b/d, around 10% of
Nigeria's total output, and sparked a rally in oil prices which has seen them
hit three-month highs.

     TOTAL, CHEVRON, AGIP SAY NO DISRUPTIONS TO OPERATIONS
     Total, Agip and Chevron earlier Wednesday said denied speculation that
their operations had been attacked but said they were closely monitoring the
situation in the oil-rich region.
     "There are no problems at any of the onshore or offshore facilities," a
spokesman for Total said. 
     Chevron said it was still monitoring the situation but that there had
been no incidents at its Escravos and Pennington terminals. "There are no
indictations of any problems but we are monitoring the situation," a
spokeswoman said. 
     Agip Nigeria, which operates the Brass export terminal, also said they
were not aware of attacks to its facilities. "There have been no attacks," a
spokesman said. 
--Jacinta Moran, jacinta-moran@platts.com

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