YENAGOA: Royal Dutch Shell's Nigerian unit has declared force majeure on Bonny Light exports, it said on Wednesday, following the closure of the Nembe Creek Trunk line (NCTL) for repairs after a leak.
The force majeure by Shell Petroleum Development Co (SPDC)took effect at noon (1100 GMT) on Tuesday, the company said in a statement.
The NCTL was shut for repairs by its operator AITEO Eastern E & P Company Ltd, the company said. A Shell spokesman blamed technical issues, without elaborating.
OPEC member Nigeria's oil output had already fallen close to to a 22-year low due to a series of attacks on oil pipelines in the southern Niger Delta, home to much of the country's oil and gas wealth.
Shell and Chevron had evacuated oil workers in the past few days due to a surge in attacks on oil facilities, according to Nigerian labour unions.
Recent violence has raised concern that militants might resume an insurgency that has been quiet for the past several years.
A labour union on Tuesday called for the evacuation of oil workers from the region.
Last week, a group known as Niger Delta Avengers attacked a Chevron facility in the Delta after claiming a strike in February against a Shell pipeline, which shut down the 250,000 barrel-a-day Forcados export terminal.
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