Swartz: Oil Industry Records Zero Oil Theft in One Year

Oriarehu Bonny

The Chairman and Managing Director of Chevron Nigeria/mid-Africa business unit, Mr. Jim Swartz, has disclosed that Chevron has recorded zero incidents of sabotage in the last one year.

Swartz stated this when he visited the  corporate headquarters of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) in Abuja at the weekend.

“Chevron has not recorded any oil theft or attacks on our pipelines this year. This is the longest we’ve gone without oil theft,”Swartz said.

Chevron is a member of the Oil Producers Trade Section (OPTS), a subgroup of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry. OPTS is a private industry group that is dedicated to the exploration, development, and production of Nigeria’s oil and gas resources in a sustainable and beneficial manner for the Nigerian people.

It represents the interests of approximately 31 oil and gas companies that collectively operate approximately 85 per cent of Nigeria’s oil.

The record breaking success story of Chevron may not be unconnected with the giant strides recorded by Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited(TSSNL), a private pipeline security surveillance company owned by Government Ekpemupolo, widely known as Tompolo.

The proactive approach taken by TSSNL,  using technology, local intelligence,  has not only enhanced monitoring and control of activities in the region but has also contributed to the increase in the nation’s oil production output from 2022 to the present.

Further investigation revealed that the NNPCL and the International Oil Companies (IOCs)  have  been able to ramp up its production to 1.8m barrels per day unlike in previous past when production was trapped at 600,00 barrels per day.

In his remarks, the Chief Executive Officer of NUPRC,  also expressed delight over Chevron’s testimony on recording zero incidents pertaining to oil theft.

He attributed the feat achieved to the initiatives by President Bola Tinubu’s administration.  

TSSNL has played crucial a role in ensuring the protection of critical infrastructure vital to the nation’s economic prosperity.