The Joint Task Force South-South, Operation Delta Safe (OPDS), has announced significant progress in combating illegal oil activities and boosting crude oil production in the Niger Delta region.
According to the OPDS progress report, the terminal factors on all major pipelines have achieved 100 per cent flow, reflecting full operational capacity.
The report stated that daily crude oil output has reached approximately 1.7 million barrels per day (bpd), indicating maximum production capacity with minimal interruptions.
The report attributed the success to rigorous security efforts, including monitoring, patrolling, and deterrence of vandals along the pipelines.
It would be recalled that on 17 July 2024, a directive was issued by the Chief of Defence Staff, General C.G. Musa, to end crude oil theft (COT) in the Niger Delta Region.
And Rear Admiral John Okeke, Commander of the Joint Task Force South-South, Operation Delta Safe, immediately on the following day, 18 July 2024, swung into action.
Part of the exercise included a series of sensitisation visits, assessment of hotspots and subsequent raids as well as destruction of illegal refineries, seizure of IRS materials and boats involved in these activities.
According to a statement by the Coordinator OPDS Joint Media Campaign Centre, Major K.O Owolabi, Operation Delta Safe (OPDS), the Trans Niger Pipeline (TNP), Trans Escravos Pipeline (TEP), and Trans Ramos Pipeline (TRP) have achieved full operational capacity, despite a reported incident of vandalism on the TNP.
He said the OPDS Commander Rear Admiral, John Okeke, commended the collaborative efforts of security agencies and urged the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and International Oil Companies (IOCs) to focus on expanding production capacity to reach the target of 2.2 million bpd.
He said: “Following the successes achieved with regard to combating illegal oil activities by artisanal refineries and other crude oil theft agents within the Niger Delta, as well as our efforts by troops of JTF OPDS to keep the pipelines and flow stations secured to boost crude oil production to hit the benchmark of 2.2 million barrels per day as directed by the CDS.”
He said President Bola Tinubu has acknowledged the progress, stating that the oil and gas industry is experiencing a resurgence due to recent reforms.
However, the OPDS Commander, Rear Admiral Okeke, commends the collaborative efforts of security agencies and urges continued focus on expanding production capacity to achieve and surpass the target of 2.2 million bpd.(Guardian)
