By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Apr. 4 -- ChevronTexaco said Friday its Chevron Nigeria Ltd. unit gradually is restarting Nigerian production it shut down 12 days ago because of ethnic clashes.
"Operations staff and support workers are returning to the Escravos terminal in the Western Niger Delta, and a gradual return to production is beginning," ChevronTexaco said in a statement.
The ChevronTexaco unit currently is conducting a comprehensive review of the facilities—unmanned since the shutdown—and making any necessary repairs to ensure a safe resumption of operations. "Initial production is scheduled to increase gradually to a plateau rate of 310,000 b/d of oil. Natural gas production is expected to reach 150 MMcfd within a week," the company said.
"The return to production at Escravos also signals the imminent reinstatement of crude supplies to refineries at Warri and Kaduna, which had been impacted by a lack of feedstock, and should help to address the current shortage of petroleum products in Nigeria." ChevronTexaco said. Natural gas supplies to the Nigerian Gas Co. for power generation also will resume.
The company Mar. 23 had shut-in production of 440,000 bbl of oil and 285 MMcfd of natural gas because of ongoing unrest in the area. The company subsequently airlifted more than 5,000 people to safer locations in Nigeria, including about 3,000 displaced community members who feared for their safety.
Other production shut-ins
Shell Nigeria Exploration & Production Co. Ltd. and TotalFinaElf SA also were forced to shut in production in Niger Delta properties (OGJ Online, Mar. 24, 2003).
The US Energy Information Agency reported Friday that Shell Nigeria's production is down by 320,000 b/d. After reducing its Forcados output by 370,000 b/d Mar. 24, Shell raised its Bonny Light output by 50,000 b/d the next day from other fields in Nigeria, compensating for another 50,000 b/d that had been shut in due to theft.