Yemisi Izuora/Ijeoma Agudosi
Oil major Shell, has confirmed the death of a security guard following an attack on an oil flow station in the Delta region by suspected militants.
A Shell Nigeria spokesman said the guard died Friday during an attack on the company’s Kolo Creek site in the Eastern Niger Delta, according to AP report.
The facility was attacked by a group of armed men and targeted a Joint Task Force (JTF) sentry post at Kolo.
The victim was said to be on duty during the attack but there was no damage or environmental impact.
“The sound of gunshots fired by the suspected militants alerted the security team stationed to guard the oil installation, which repelled the gunmen, forcing them to run away,” the report quoted an unnamed source.
Shell added that the incident is currently being investigated.
Kolo Creek is liquid natural gas project located in OML 28 and Shell operates the project with a 30 percent stake.
The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) holds a 55 percent stake, France’s Total holds a 10 percent stake and Italy’s holds a 5 percent stake.
Shell is currently laying about 24 miles of pipeline that will run from Kolo Creek to the Soku project as part of its Gbaran Phase 2B development.
Militant activity in the Delta region has been rising as local groups demand a larger share of oil revenues and more regional autonomy, the AP noted.
Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited holds stakes in several of the country’s assets including interests in about 50 producing oil fields, a network of about 3,106 miles of oil and gas pipelines and flowlines, five gas plants and the Bonny and Forcados oil export terminals.