Bristow Group British Pilot Dies After Fatal Crash in Niger Delta

The Houston Chronicle has reported the unfortunate death of Bristow Helicopter pilot, Cleighton Brown, 44, after his helicopter crashed into an Exxon Mobil oil export terminal Friday in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria.

Read the full report.

Helicopter pilots have been in great demand to fly the required oil workers over the dangerous waters of the Niger Delta. The escalation of violent attacks on boats and kidnappings of foreign oil workers crossing the waterways of the creeks and lagoons and on offshore oil rigs have forced oil companies to use helicopters daily.

Over 150 foreign oil workers have been kidnapped since 2006. And they were usually released unharmed, but some fatalities have been recorded in botched attacks or during military rescue attempts. The incessant terrorist attacks and kidnappings have made multinational oil companies to shutdown or suspend their operations and caused oil exports to be cut by 400,000- 500,000 barrels per day.

Please, read The Niger Delta Insurgency and its Threat to Energy Security by Erich Marquardt.