According to reports, more sizable illegal crude oil pipelines connected to the Trans Forcados Export Trunkline have been found by the federal government’s privately contracted oil pipeline surveillance team, Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited, led by Government Ekpemupolo, better known as Tompolo.
The most recent discoveries, according to sources, came days after Tantita Security Services agents discovered an unauthorised 4-kilometer pipeline that connected from the Trans Escravos line to the sea.
According to the most recent discoveries, Tantita Security Services agents have so far discovered more than 58 illegal tapping points used by crude oil bunkers on the country’s oil pipelines in the States of Delta and Bayelsa.
It was gathered that the newly-discovered illegal crude oil pipeline was connected directly to the high sea in Delta State.
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According to sources, the illegal pipeline discovered a few days ago was connected to the 48-inch Trans Forcados Export Trunkline in Burutu Local Government Area.
One of the sources noted with concern that the latest discovery was directly behind a military security post, which is less than one kilometre from the Forcados Export Terminal in the Ogulagha community.
The source also revealed that the illegal pipeline was connected to another abandoned pipeline located within the vicinity and owned by a multinational petroleum company, adding that it was through this company’s abandoned facility that the bunkers ship the crude to the sea for loading and onward movement abroad.
The Forcados Terminal located in Ogulagha, Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State, is said to have a nameplate capacity to export 400,000 barrels per day and receives crude oil from the Forcados Oil Pipeline System, which is the second largest pipeline network in the oil-producing region, after the Bonny Oil Pipeline System in the Eastern Niger Delta.
More so, it was stated that some International Oil Companies and Nigerian independents operating in the western Niger Delta pump oil to the Forcados Oil Terminal for exports.
It will be recalled that Tantita Security Services Limited had only last week apprehended a vessel named MT Deima with International Maritime Organisation with number 7210525, while loading crude oil illegally along the Escravos river in Delta State.
The arrested vessel which was handed over to officials of the Joint Task Force otherwise known as Operation Delta Safe was eventually set ablaze by the military officials 48 hours after the arrest.
The Managing Director of Tantita Security Services, Chief Keston Pondi could not be reached for comments on the development as of the time of filing this report.
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