The Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Dele Joseph Ezeoba, has disclosed that the bulk of Nigeria’s crude oil is stolen from the crude export terminals as the security agencies have no access to metres installed at export terminals to determine the volume of crude exported.

Ezeoba, who made the observation Thursday at a forum on ‘Oil Theft and Illegal Bunkering in the Niger Delta’ convened by the Special Adviser to the President on the Niger Delta, Mr. Kingsley Kuku, noted that the menace of crude theft had become a major threat to the nation’s economy, saying very urgent measures needed to be adopted to address the problem.

He expressed concern that Nigeria was the only country that allows what he described as “load plus five per cent” on each vessel, insisting that there must be transparency and accountability in the manner crude oil lifting is done.

THISDAY had exclusively reported two weeks ago that the bulk of crude oil theft takes place at the terminals operated by international oil companies (IOCs), where lifters cart away crude oil in excess of their allocations.

Ezeoba said: “The bigger theft is the one that occurs at the export loading terminals. This is beyond all of us. We have no access to the metres at the export terminals.”

He said urgent steps should be taken to address the menace, but argued that the fight against crude oil theft and pipeline vandalism was a collective responsibility and no one agency could do it alone.

As a way forward, he suggested that oil majors should adopt the use of technology to secure the integrity of their pipelines and should establish Rights of Way (RoW) for their pipelines, to enable security officials easily identify areas where there are breaches.

Also, he canvassed that host communities should be involved in security arrangements, as that would give them a sense of belonging.

Ezeoba also urged the oil companies to review their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programmes and ensure improved opportunities for the youths.

He suggested other measures to include: environmental resuscitation, engagement of more youths in the Niger Delta by oil firms, and giving the communities the right to decide what areas they want as CRS by oil firms.

The CNS also canvassed for speedy passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) into law, as according to him, the bill provides for solutions to most of these problems.

He also said there must be availability of petroleum products for the people of Niger Delta as the lack of petroleum products pushes them to petronise illegal refineries. It is estimated that petrol is sold at between N200 and N300 a litre in the Niger Delta region.

Earlier in his address, the Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Mr. Patrick Akpobolokemi, accused some tank farm owners in Nigeria of complicity in crude oil theft and petroleum products diversion, pointing out that what the locals steal constitutes only about seven per cent of what is stolen on a daily basis.

He said some vessels and barges used for illicit oil deals belong to some of the tank farm owners, while stolen products have been traced to some of the depots in Nigeria.
Akpobolokemi, who blamed rising oil theft on greed and insincerity on the part of oil industry operators and some government officials, said: “The situation can only change, if people change their attitudes.”

He disclosed that the government was considering very stringent measures in the fight against the menace and informed Nigerians to expect a “tsunami in the oil industry very soon”.

“Steadily, these vessels and barges that are used to steal our oil end up in tank farms. Who are owners of these tank farms? We can trace them to who is harbouring them and in whose tank farms the products are harboured,” he added.

The NIMASA boss said the military alone could not do much and suggested that the way to stem the tide of theft and vandalism was by setting up a robust surveillance team that would be made up of oil community representatives.

Akpobolokemi, who stated that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) were not up and doing in their responsibilities, also faulted Nigeria’s legal processes and procedures for mishandling cases involving oil theft.

“It is not the petty thieves that are our problem, but environmental degradation and the ecosystem that is being destroyed. The hypocrisy demonstrated by oil companies is causing a lot of problems,” he said.

According to information released at the event, some 400,000 barrels a day or 63,600,000 litres of oil is said to be stolen in Nigeria

Source http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/chief-of-naval-staff-major-oil-theft-occurs-at-terminals/156441/

Gradually the [s]Federal Government Officials and Oil companies[/s] oil thieves shall expose themselves, and their greed shall be out in the open both the oil companies and the Federal Government.

However prosecuting them is another kettle of fish entirely.

why did nimasa take over the role of the navy

Access to wetin?
Are they to monitor Exports by NNPC or to catch those diverting or illegally loading Nigerian crude in the waters.
They are not satisfy with collecting settlement and letting oil theives sail into international waters, they now want to monitor the meter so that they can make more money by deciding who to load first and get commission for the +/- 5% toppings.
.
STAY IN THE WATERS AND DO YOUR WORK. DPR IS MANNING THE METERS

Ok.

country full of crooks.all stakeholders in this industry are guilty as charged.bribery all the way and they keep shouting "thief thief thief ".which ve u caught all this years? shifting blames?rubbish

All of you are oil thieves...

What are measures to be out in place
This is not a new bringing.

These oyimbo oil companies wan steal our pockets dry oh. No wonder they are frustrating PIB passage. PIB where are you?

When d oil finish, i go see wetin una go thief.. Baskartz

we deserve what we get... shikena

welovethee: These oyimbo oil companies wan steal our pockets dry oh. No wonder they are frustrating PIB passage. PIB where are you?

Still the Govt's fault. Who is suppose to enforce the appropraite measurement of oil in all the stages it goes thru? The Government!

Another proof that this government is unserious. The Ribadu Presidential Task Force report recommended that 'Automated Meters be fixed at oil terminals and wellheads'. The committee even took the initiative of contacting Schlumberger to install automated metering system in the Niger Delta, but we all know how government undermined and denigrated the report. Why because some top government officials are also involved in this 'organized, coordinated and systemic stealing of our natural resources'.

The navy is a party to it

Ordinary Nigerians are enriching themselves with this business, I know a few. It's better than allowing the money to go into government accounts where they'll be embezzled.

The Niger Delta people want more control of their oil wealth legally or ilegally.

right under their noses.I can smell 'Oga At The Top' right under their noses.I can smell 'Oga At The Top'

I dont have any insurance so becareful

What are measures to be out in place. This is not a new bringing

Is the PIB bill a public document? Where can the average man on the find the document to read?

This is the most hilarious thing i've read all year.
contrary to what this CNS says, the bulk of stolen crude is siphoned away in the creeks of the Niger Delta...and the Nigerian Navy cannot claim to have clean hands in this matter.

Ask the CNS which vessels the oil thieves use to carry the stolen crude...and why his outfit does nothing to stop vessels from moving freely in and out of our waterways.

In tellwisdom's voice; What is cruise oil

Jst felt like comment thou...i cnt waste ma time on Poo....as y'all knw am Darelee on nairalee y'all haterzlee#shepopotamus cn kiss ma Poo...

Gej is d brain behind 9ja crude oil theft...shekina

GEJ and the minister of petroleum are the brain behind most of these stealing.

Have u heard of what Altantic energy ( own by the minister of petroleum) is lifting monthly??

They lift over 20,000 bbls per day in some fields all in the name of providing technical and financial support to NPDC.

Yet NPDC still can't operate up to international standard.

ok

An oil company worker told me that the government officials who suppose to monitor, don't do their work instate they will be lordge in hotels and given brief by these oil companies to go back and give good report.

At terminals or at SO SO ROCK?

At terminals or at SO SO ROCK?.

All diy oyel teif dem sef, mk dem jst gre me to get at least 1000 bpd choi! I knw say na hammer b dat. Nna mehn.