Mohammed Shosanya
Chevron Nigeria Limited CNL, operator of the joint venture between the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited NNPCL,says it has no blame in the pervading oil theft in the country.
Its General Manager,Policy Government and Public Affairs,Esimaje Brikinn,gave the clarification in a statement on Saturday against the backdrop of a report in one of the online media platforms blaming international oil companies, communities and other stakeholders for the oil theft that has hindered the growth of the oil industry.
Chevron and another international oil company were specifically mentioned in the report allegedly attributed to the Chairman of the House of Representatives ad hoc committee set up to investigate crude oil theft.
Brikinn punctured the report and described same as untrue, incorrect, and made without any basis.
He reiterated his company’s commitment to supporting the collaborative efforts to prevent oil theft and pipeline vandalism in its area of operation,and affirmed that illegal bunkering and oil theft in the Niger Delta region has negatively impacted CNL’s operation and has devastating effects on the nation’s economy and the environment in the Niger Delta region.
He said his company continues to monitor the environment in its areas of operations and report any suspected illegal activity and breaches to the relevant government security forces and regulatory agencies.
He disclosed that CNL has helped in reducing pipeline vandalism and oil theft in Niger delta region by collaborating with communities around the areas of the company’s operations to set up the Community Pipeline and Facilities Surveillance Programme (CPFSP) in 2005.
Through the CPFSP, he said,CNL continues to tackle the challenge of oil theft and pipeline vandalism and engage the community youth in pipeline surveillance to reduce oil theft in CNL’s area of operation.
The company also deploys security surveillance equipment and other technologies in addition to physical water-borne patrols by the CPFSP and the government security forces.
He noted that CNL’s commitment to working with government agencies and others to prevent oil theft and its impact on the environment was recently commended by the Special Investigation Panel on Oil Theft/Losses in Nigeria set up by the Federal Government during their visit to CNL’s operations.
“CNL is committed to the highest ethical standards and business principles. CNL operates as a responsible company and conducts its business in full compliance with the law and in a socially and environmentally responsible manner. CNL will continue to work with the Nigerian government towards the development of the oil and gas industry and the Nigerian economy generally”, Esimaje stated.