Nigerian militants: extending war to Shell pipeline outside Niger Delta.
Mend claims Shell pipe hit
The Nigerian militant group the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (Mend) said it had sabotaged a Shell oil pipeline, the latest attack in its "all-out war" against the country's military and oil sector.
Mend said it sabotaged a Shell pipeline in Bayelsa state yesterday, its first attack outside Delta state since the military last month declared its biggest offensive against rebels in years.
"Mend, in furtherance of Hurricane Piper Alpha ... destroyed with high explosives a major crude oil trunk line in Bayelsa state belonging to Shell," the group said in a statement emailed to Reuters.
It was not possible independently to confirm the attack.
Shell said it was investigating the reported incident.
Mend said the damaged pipeline was connected to the Tunu, Opukusu and Ugbotubu flow stations, which feeds into the Forcados export terminal.
Yesterday Shell extended a force majeure on its Forcados shipments for the rest of June and all of July as pipeline repairs have yet to be completed from an attack three months ago.
Mend, responsible for attacks that have led to a cut of one-fifth in Nigeria's oil production in the past three years, said the damaged pipeline was connected to the Tunu, Opukusu and Ugbotubu flow stations, which feeds into the Forcados export terminal.
Shell yesterday extended a force majeure on its Forcados shipments for the rest of June and all of July as pipeline repairs have yet to be completed from an attack three months ago.
Mend, which claims it is fighting for a fairer share of the region's wealth, threatened on Monday to extend its attacks throughout the Niger Delta and to offshore oil facilities.
The militant group had focused its attacks on Chevron-operated oil pipelines and pumping stations in the last few weeks, forcing the US supermajorto shut down about 100,000 barrels per day of production.
Militants have repeatedly targeted Shell and Chevron facilities in the past three years as many of their pipelines and oil pumping station are located in communities hostile to foreign oil producers.
Oil markets have largely shrugged off the latest violence, focusing attention instead on the broader global economy and its effect on energy demand.