Uchenna Izundu
International Editor
LONDON, May 22 -- Royal Dutch Shell PLC has resumed pumping crude through the Bomu pipeline manifold in the eastern Niger Delta in southern Nigeria. About 170,000 b/d of production was shut in last week because of community protests.
During the shut-in, Bomu was unable to feed the Bonny export terminal in southern Nigeria.
"Force majeure, however, for May and June contracts still remains in place for Bonny," a Shell spokesman told OGJ. Shell was forced last week to declare force majeure on its contracts after attacks on its facilities.
Nigeria's oil exports have fallen by about 25% over the past year because of continuous attacks on oil infrastructure by militants, which have promised to increase pressure until May 29 when President-elect Umar Musa Yar'Adua takes over from incumbent Olusegun Obasanjo.
The militants see this transition as an opportunity to demand a more equitable distribution of Nigeria's oil wealth.
Contact Uchenna Izundu at [email protected].