A fire on the Trans-Niger Pipeline (TNP) appears to have halted crude movements to Nigeria's Bonny Light export terminal.
The Rivers State police said a fire occurred on the pipeline at the border of Kpor and Bodo communities. It said the pipeline's management shut down the affected section. Operator Renaissance Africa said it is responding to an incident.
The 180,000 b/d, 60km TNP carries crude to the Bonny terminal, from where the Bonny Light grade is exported. TNP was operated until 14 March by Shell subsidiary SPDC.
The pipeline has been the target of repeated oil theft, vandalism and sabotage in the past, and Shell shut the TNP entirely between April and October 2022.
A source within state-owned NNPC told Argus the Almi Voyager was the most recent crude tanker to load at the Bonny terminal, with around 550,000 bl of crude on 14 March. Loading operations are seemingly halted as the pumping of 475,000 bl to NNPC's 210,000 b/d Port Harcourt refinery was the next scheduled operation before the explosion.
Market sources said they are monitoring the situation and awaiting a possible declaration of force majeure by Renaissance Africa. Sources added loading operations at the export terminal were already running up to two weeks behind schedule.
By Elena Mataro, Adebiyi Olusolape and Sanjana Shivdas
