Shell helicopter taken in new Nigerian oil region unrest

LAGOS, Nov 1 (Reuters) - Youths in Nigeria's oil-producing Niger Delta region seized a helicopter and crew working for Royal Dutch Shell and attacked oil installations at the weekend, newspapers said on Monday.

The new violence follows seperate incidents last week in which four youths were shot dead by police at the offices of U.S. oil service company Wilbros and Shell was forced to shut in 100,000 barrels per day (bpd) of oil production.

Shell officials confirmed newspaper reports that a helicopter had been hijacked with five workers, including one expatriate, but were not immediately able to confirm reports of fresh attacks on oil installations.

Youths of the Federated Niger Delta Ijaw Communities in the oil industry hub of Warri said they had attacked flow stations operated by Shell and Chevron Corp. (NYSE:CHV - news) to demand compensation for an alleged oil spill.

"The closure of the flow stations and seizure of helicopter ... are a child's play considering our determination to ensure
(Shell) pulls out of Ijaw land until her anti Ijaw policies are abrogated,'' papers quoted the group as saying.

In violence not directly related to oil production, four people were killed and 25 houses burnt in Warri in ethnic clashes
between Urhobos and Ijaws.

Growing lawlessness in Nigeria's Niger Delta has made it increasingly difficult for Western firms to produce the oil which accounts for about 95 percent of export earnings to Africa's most populous nation.

Community leaders said Nigerian police shot dead four youths in an operation to dislodge protesters from offices belonging to U.S. oil service company Wilbros near southeastern Port Harcourt last Friday.

The same day, Shell declared force majeure -- meaning that it could not guarantee to meet export commitments -- from its Bonny Terminal, following community disturbances which shut in 100,000 bpd of crude.

Thanks for that Cyclic.

What a bunch of bustards. Been there, seen that and got the T-shirt, it's not nice. I only hope they are safe. Perhaps this could have gone on the main news site, so that the FW guys could see what we have to put up with whilst carrying out "public transport operations".

Only 6 days till I go back, wuppy doo.

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[This message has been edited by 212man (edited 02 November 1999).]

Nigerian Youths Free Four Shell Hostages,Keep Two

LAGOS, Nov 4 (Reuters) - RoyalDutch/Shell said on Thursday that youths in Nigeria's oil-producing Niger Delta region had freed four of six hostages taken with their helicopter.
A company spokesman would not say whether the expatriate pilot was among those released. "They released four of the hostages yesterday but are still holding two others," he told Reuters.
The hostages were seized along with the helicopter last week in renewed violence in the troubled Niger Delta region which produces most of Nigeria's oil.
Violent protests by local communities demanding more access to oil wealth have severely hurt foreign oil firms working in Nigeria over the past two years.


[This message has been edited by Cyclic Hotline (edited 05 November 1999).]

Shell Says Two Remaining Hostages Freed in Nigeria

LAGOS, Nov 10 (Reuters) - Royal/Dutch Shell said on Wednesday the last two of six hostages taken by youths in Nigeria's oil region had been freed.

The six were held along with a helicopter working for Shell.

"The two remaining hostages in the Opuama hostage incident were released this morning," a company spokesman told Reuters in Lagos.

He said the freed men appeared to be in good condition but were to undergo medical checks.

The hostages including an expatriate helicopter pilot were seized a forthnight ago in renewed violence in the troubled Niger Delta region which produces most of Nigeria's crude oil.

Four of them were released last week.

Violent protests by local communities demanding more access to oil wealth have severely hurt foreign oil firms working in (Nigeria).

Thanks for keeping this forum informed, Cyclic.

I can confirm that the two pilots are okay, having met them, and unharmed. But.......comma.

Bristow Nigeria
 

Interested in hearing about Bristows ops in Nigeria. Good and bad. Thanks for the info.

e-mail me, it's too late to write and I'm back there the day after tomorrow so won't get a chance to write before then.

Without teaching grandma to suck eggs, you'll nedd about 3500+ hours, lots of twin time and an IR. 212,355 or 76 would help but not essential, 365 too. Rotation is 7 and 5 weeks.

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Another day in paradise

It's 20+ years since I worked in Nigeria, and I hope never to go near the place again.

That you Tweedie?..for Nigeria, eh?

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Thermal runaway.

Bristow Nigeria???
 

What's up in Nigeria? Still a bad political climate? Is there security for the folks posted there?
Keep your turns up!

[This message has been edited by Magumba (edited 10 June 2001).]

Wish I knew - it's close to home (South Africa) and I need work!! I'll watch the topic.

Well, bearing in mind that it is W. Africa it is never going to be particularly stable. Things are quite reasonable at present compared to the last few years, though ther have been one or two local fraccas involving expat companies. In Lagos there have been some serious attacks on vehicles too (one British High Commission vehicle).

In general, if you possess an iota of imagination and common sense, you will not be suprised by what you find. Things are slowly improving (even the moving walkways work now at Lagos airport!).

Work wise, the oil business is booming with some of the largest projects in the world going on (Shell's Bonga field is a $1 bn+ project) and the future demand for rotary support will increase without doubt. On top of that you have the same old story of an ageing pilot workforce so vacancies will increase through retirements.

If anyone wants contacts or more specific info e-mail me.

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Another day in paradise

Nigera
 

Can anyone give me any info about Schriner or Bristows in Nigeria regarding pay and conditions.
Also what are the best anti malaria precautions available.
Thanks

Correct spelling Nigeria

Try Schreiner's website and why would you want to leave sunny Shetland anyway?

http://www.schreiner.nl

Regarding Malaria prophalyctic, I have worked in Papua New Guinea for 10 years where Malaria is indemic. There are many schools of thought. The most heavily prescribed prophalyctic drug is doxycycline, your doc would know that one. However, the drawback is if you are taking any type of durg of this sort and you are infected with the parasite, most likely the type you have been infected with will be 'masked', and difficult to determine in order to treat properly. Personally, I have taken nothing because of the side effects. Your doc should warn you about that too. I simply dose up with a good mosquito repellant when exposing legs arms etc to the elements in morning or at dusk and spray my quarters when I have a small winged visitor. Leave the room when sprayed, that stuff is really bad too. I still haven't been infected. (Touch wood.)

Good luck and fly safe.

Maxvne,
I was in Nigeria with BHL for 7 yrs 'till couple of years ago, I also know a bit about ACN's ops, drop me an e-mail if you need more info.
As for chemo-proferwotsits, I rarely took them, had malaria twice, know of two ex-pats killed by it in my time there - beware of any and all advice - it's your life and your decision - see W.H.O. advice and current thinking for what to take for West Africa.
Doc

Maxvne,
I am based ther at the moment so, again, feel free to e-mail and I'll try and help.

I tend to agree with Doc (hi, how's tricks?) about the prohy-distings. A serious point to bear in mind is that by now, most of the strains in Nigeria are resistant to the common drugs. Certainly those prescibed to aircrew (can't take Larium). The best advice seems to be preventative measures (long trousers etc) though it does seem to be a bit like Russian roullete; some people spend years there and never catch it despite no precautions at all, others do everything right and still get it.

As Doc says though, be wary of advice; there's a lot of BS on this topic.

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Another day in paradise

No helicopter connection to this story (this time), but thought it might be of interest to those connected with that part of the world!

41 Mobil Workers Seized on Nigerian Island
By John Chiahemen

LAGOS (Reuters) - Forty-one ExxonMobil oil workers, including 16 expatriates, have been kidnapped in southern Nigeria, an oil workers' union leader said on Wednesday.

Sina Luwoye, president of the PENGASAAN white-collar union, told state television that the workers were seized at their base in Finima, on Bonny Island off Port Harcourt, where Mobil has a condensate plant. It was not known where they were taken.

No official comment was immediately available from the Nigerian producing unit of the U.S. oil major, but a staff member in Lagos said the head office there had not been able to contact the Bonny base by phone for two days.

Other Mobil workers contacted in the southern Niger Delta region where most of Nigeria's over two million barrels per day of oil is produced corroborated the report.

"What you heard on the news is exactly so,'' one said, declining to elaborate.

Another said tension was running high on Bonny Island and that government officials had gone there from the nearby oil city of Port Harcourt to assess the situation.

Telephone lines to the Mobil base had been disconnected by the abductors, believed to be from the Island community, they said.

Nigeria's multi-billion dollar liquefied natural gas plant is also located on the island and has faced frequent disruptions from militant local people. One of Royal Dutch/Shell's two Nigerian export terminals is also in Bonny.

Luwoye did not explain the circumstances of the abduction or when it happened but said: "We are concerned that the workers are still being held and nobody seems to care.''

He said the workers had had no change of clothes since they were seized, suggesting they had been held for a while. It was not clear if he had been in contact with the group.

"The association (PENGASSAN) is still working with Mobil Producing to solve the problem,'' he said.

OIL FIRMS HAVE BECOME TARGETS

Multinationals producing Nigeria's mainstay oil, notably leading operator Shell, have become the targets of protests and attacks by poor local people demanding a greater share of oil wealth.

Militants in the oil-rich Niger Delta in particular have frequently kidnapped oil workers to demand compensation in the form of cash, jobs or contracts. Hostages have generally been freed unharmed.

Mobil is already facing unrest in its main producing base in southeastern Akwa Ibom state, where local people have launched a campaign demanding benefits, jobs and even the relocation of the firm's global headquarters to the area.

Local youths last month invaded Mobil's Kwa Iboe Export Terminal in Eket to press their demands, disrupting production for a day.

The kidnappings come amid a disruptive strike by Shell's senior staff that has further clouded the prospects for Nigeria's oil industry even as the government sets ambitious targets for additional production and reserves.

Shell said the strike, launched by PENGASSAN on June 18 over pay, had slashed some 400,000 barrels per day from its daily output of nearly one million barrels.

Ah. Nigeria. Or perhaps that should be AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!! Nigeria! It all comes flooding back with dreadful clarity.

Max. I was in Nigeria with Bristow for over 10 years, I sprayed myself with Johnson's "OFF", never took anti-malarial distings, always wore long trousers in the evenings and (as far as I am aware) never had malaria. Like Doc, I know a number of people that succumbed to it but the worst I had was a hangover. (Maybe the alcohol keeps the mossies off?)

Fact of the matter is, you pay your money and take your chance. You're as likely to be killed or injured in the type of situation reported above or at a 'road-block' by some drunken, gun-toting 'policeman', as you are by malaria.

Personally, I had a bl**dy good time and look back on it with some fondness. Go back? Not a chance! Been there, done that.

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If it ain't broke..........