Armed Militants Storm US Oil Platforms In Nigeria

Originally posted by Zion Mainframe
The US is getting more and more dependant on West-african oil. Very few people in those very poor countries actually benefit from the Oil Industry, just look at Saudi Arabia for instance.

Well, Saudi Arabia is filthy rich and they dont deserve a cent of it !! Dotn worry about starving kids there !! I have been to Saudi Arabia and stayed there for a couple of years, trust me they are living the good life !

As for the Nigerian rebels taking over the rig I doubt these people realize its implications internationally. I think they want to piss of the govt and this just of those stupid moves to demand attention. Well If a US company own the rig and if the oil shortage affects the US then it would be right for the US to take action. Just because it is in Nigeria doesnt mean that the US cannot protect its resource.

The hostages are still being held hostage. One of the hostages (Briton Nigel Watson-Clark) read out the kidnappers five demands which he said should be met within 48 hours...

BBC: Nigeria hostages 'in good health'

17 January 2006



The four foreign oil workers kidnapped by Nigerian militants have told Reuters news agency they are in good health. The four - from the UK, US, Bulgaria and Honduras - were taken hostage by armed men on speedboats a week ago while in the Niger Delta region. There was a further gunboat attack on a pumping station over the weekend, prompting oil giant Royal Dutch Shell to withdraw some 330 workers.

A man who said he was Briton Nigel Watson-Clark said that the Nigerian military should not try to use force to rescue them. He also read out five demands, which the kidnappers said should be met within 48 hours:

Local control of the region's oil wealth

The payment of $1.5bn by Shell to Bayelsa State to compensate for pollution

The release of separatist leader Mujahid Dokubu Asari, being held on treason charges

The release of former Bayelsa State governor Diepreye Alamieyaseigha, accused of corruption and money-laundering

The release of another ethnic Ijaw militant.

Nigeria is Africa's leading oil exporter and the fifth-biggest source of US oil imports.

Related Links:
Reuters: Oil prices rally on threat to Nigeria supply, Iran (Jan 17, 2006)
IOL: Oil giant may pull more workers from Nigeria (January 16 2006)

Originally posted by BitRaiser

Originally posted by mrsdudara
We have major towers running from BC to the US??

Yup. BC exports major amounts of Hydro Electricity.

How massive of a power disruption?

Umm... that remains to be seen.
Best case; Washington state to California goes dark.

Worst case; Overloads and old lines fry cause the whole damned country to go dark.

Does that count as massive?

I know this might seem a little extream, but remember (ah, was it last year?) when a single overload caused a big chunk of Eastern US and Canada to blackout?

That was a minor glitch.

Not likely will any blackout occur. maybe you should check and see how much power is generated by the entire columbia/snake river dams. The only known time that bc hydro sent power was when the Aluminium smelter west of Ferndale WA purchased power back in the early 90's. I live not to far where the Bonneville power lines end and the don't go further north than Custer WA

The hostages have not been released yet. I wonder about the lack of interest in this story from US media as one of the hostages is an American. The rebels say their ultimate aim is "to prevent Nigeria from exporting oil" and they threaten to attack all oil companies facilities (including Chevron) and even the families (and children) of these companies employees.

Well I guess this not good news for the pocket.

Taking in consideration that Chevron has not peachy reputation in the area, they have been accused of human rights violation before.

I guess the only friends they have is the government in the area, the locals will not careless what is going on, after all they do not get anything for having them in their backyards polluting their soil.

Originally posted by marg6043

after all they do not get anything for having them in their backyards polluting their soil.

Absolutely correct

I found an article which identifies three of the four hostages. Remember this is only one source. The names have not been confirmed.

IOL: Kidnapped workers read out captors' demands

January 17 2006


The four hostages - an American, a Briton, a Bulgarian and a Honduran - said in what appeared to be prepared statements that they were being treated well, but that any attempted military intervention or rescue could cost them their lives.

"I'd like to contact my family and let them know that I am alright and everything with us is good," said a man who identified himself as Harry Ebanks from Honduras. "The only thing (is) the environment is not good with us because there is a lot of mosquitoes and it is dangerous for us."

The Briton, who identified himself as Nigel Watson-Clark, read out a list of five demands by the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, with a 48 hour deadline.

"The Nigerian government should not make any military intervention. Okay? They should not make any attempt to rescue us as it has been made clear that it may result in the loss of our lives," he said.

A man identifying himself as Patrick Landry, a US citizen, said: "No military intervention is a must. This climate in the conditions we're in is not conducive to us, especially as I am an older man and my health is not good."

He added: "I'd like y'all to contact my family and let them know that I'm alright, these people are treating me good, but the climate is not what it should be."

This is a horrible situation. However I know that the SEAL's won't have a problem cleaning this up. The terrorists have just made the worst decisions in their lives. Raiding an oil rig is just asking for the SEAL's to target practice on them.

Militants stormed an Italian oil facility in Nigeria belonging to Agip Oil Company, using speedboats with mounted guns. They killed nine people and stole a lot of money.

AllAfrica.com: Militants Kill 9 in Fresh Attacks

Vanguard (Lagos)

January 25, 2006


MILITANTS operating guns, mounted on speedboats, yesterday stormed the industrial facility of a subsidiary of the Italian oil giant, Nigeria Agip Oil Company (NAOC)

Local resident, Damka Pueba, said she heard gunfire from a site known as the Agip Industrial Area in the Mgboshimini area of the city, a large complex of offices, workshops and jetties run by the Italian energy giant. "One of the staff came out, she was crying. She said some boys came in speedboats and got into the company and just started shooting," Pueba said, adding that the witness saw dead policemen being loaded onto a jeep.

The attackers came over the water and attacked the section of the base which houses a bank," said Maurizio Bungaro, Italy's consul-general in Nigeria. "The attackers killed nine people in all, eight police officers and a Nigerian employee ... there were no dead among the assailants. The attack was well organised and they were able to take their loot and go," he said.

Nigerian President Obasanio uses the word "terrorists" against the "popular peoples front", or whatever they´re called... MEND was the name... MEND. "Terror" is a strong word. Everyone who doesn´t agree with me is "a terrorist" . Who are the "bad guys" and who are the "good guys" here? Of course it is bad that they kill innocent people and such, but why are they doing it? These people are fed up and want a piece of the cake. All this oil is right there and they get nothing but the negative effects from it. Can´t really blame them. What do they got to loose anyway? Btw, the hostages are still hostages and in "good health". The residents of Ozobo has fled in fear of a repeat of what happened at Odi in 1999...

Obasanjo: Terrorists Behind Attacks On Oil Firms (AllAfrica.com)

Daily Champion (Lagos)
January 27, 2006


"There is an element of terrorism in this and you cannot say we should give in to terrorism", President Obasanjo said.

"The captives will be freed only in return for the release of militia chief, Dokubo-Asari and former Bayelsa State governor, Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, who was impeached for money laundering last month", the group said. "The hostages are in good health... and are going nowhere for as long as our demands are not met," said the group, which also demands more local control over the Delta's huge oil wealth.

Nigeria: Oil-Rich Niger Delta Faces 'Shocking' New Wave of Violence (AllAfrica.com)

UN Integrated Regional Information Networks
January 27, 2006


One new militant group has said it has now resolved to take control of the region's oil resources by force. "We're certainly facing a more intense level of violence and it's very disruptive to our operations," one industry source said on condition of anonymity. "We're really shocked by the amount of violence unleashed on Benisede [a facility recently attacked]. It was quite ugly."

Armed groups frequently take oil workers hostage, but up to now have usually freed them after payment of a ransom. But gunmen who seized four foreign oil workers from the offshore EA oil platform run by Royal Dutch Shell more than two weeks ago are insisting on the release of regional militants and political leaders detained by the Nigerian government.

The hostages are US citizen Patrick Landry, the boat's captain; his two ship engineers - Harry Ebanks from Honduras and Nilko Michev from Bulgaria; and Nigel Watson-Clark, a retired British paratrooper working as a security expert.

In November 1999, months after taking office as elected president after more than 15 years of military rule, Obasanjo sent troops after a group of armed militants that had killed 12 policemen. Government troops levelled the town of Odi where the killings had taken place and killed more than 1,000 people, according to human rights groups. "Almost everyone in my town has fled," said Enitowari Inengi, a resident of Ozobo, a fishing community near Shell's Benisede facility. "Everyone one is afraid the military will do to us what they did at Odi."

Finally some good news from Nigeria. The hostages has been freed.

An ultimatum has been given to oil companies and their employees to leave Nigeria before midnight on Friday night (that´s now). The militant group "Mend" say they have launched a campaign called "dark February". They have declared "total war" on all foreign oil interests.


Seems like the militants get their weapons from eastern Europe in exchange for oil. Hmmm, Tiraspol and Viktor Bout comes to mind. How do the weapons traffickers transport the oil from Nigeria? - wouldn´t it be easier to trade with diamonds, gold or some other resources? Maybe they trade the oil into some other resource nearby?


edit: "employees", and not "employers" ...

[edit on 2006/2/17 by Hellmutt]

Nigerian militants take more hostages and attack oil terminal

quote.bloomberg.com...

``It could be that it shuts down all of Shell's onshore operations in Nigeria,'' Simon Wardell, an analyst in London at Global Insight, said in an interview today. ``The markets are going to discount Nigerian production in the price of oil.''

Originally posted by Hellmutt
Nigerian President Obasanio uses the word "terrorists" against the "popular peoples front", or whatever they´re called... MEND was the name... MEND.

Funny to heard this, I took this quote because if I remember well he was the one that his own people call a terrorist when he allowed his own military people shoot over a group of males that their only guilt was to complain against the US oil companies drilling in their backyard from polluting their soil and contaminating their food and water that their children were eating and drinking.

After the shooting the women took over the protest and that is when human right groups had to get involved to avoid a massacrer because American oil companies were involve.

Then you wonder why so many complain that the US support dictatorship governments as long as they allowed US interest deal in their lands and with their resources.

Funny.

I dont mean to sound like the down side of this party but i fell theese American oil companys deserve this and it is my opinion that i belive theay should blow them up.

As i see it the U.S has problems lots of them but we are talking about oil now and thats something that needs to be changed not fixed "changed" lets look at the facts weather you want to belive it or not oil will not be hear for ever.

Sure it may be hear for our life time but sooner or later its gone! then wut will the allmighy America do? my thoughts....push around more people for wut ever theay got left...look im not trying to be anti-american or anything im saying when it comes to this subject the u.s govermint blows!

I seen a show on CNN Presents about an oill shortage in the near future.The thing i was most impresed with was Brazil.....thats right Brazil.....i never new that there country dosent use gasoline/oil like most do. theay got massive fields of sugar caine and theay make "ethanol" and there cars and trucks run on this stuff...its safer for the Earth and not to hard to make....some of you probley seen this show and no wut im talking about....so the question is why dont the U.S become this smart with energy and do it??

Because oil is worth more money and no matter how bad it is for the Earth and how many wars and people need to die for it big companys get MONEY! thats all theay care about and nothing will ever change my view on that because its true....No offence to Americans but when it comes to this subject Brazil wins by miles.....so if theese people takeing over rigs really do blow them up then maybe just maybe it will make some companys realize theay can stay at home on there own land!!! and make fule thats not bad for the Earth.

It would save lives and the planet.....but will it ever happon?...not likley people are to greedy.

(sry for bad spelling)

MEND attacked the oil industry in Nigeria again. They detonated a car bomb near a refinery. No information yet on whether there were casualties or damage. MEND warned China to stay away from the Niger Delta.


Photo: Scanpix/EPA

Two foreign oil workers has been kidnapped and a US national working for Baker Hughes was shot dead on Wednesday. They won't disclose the identities or nationalities of those who were kidnapped but they worked for an Italian oil company (Saipem).

Then you wonder why so many complain that the US support dictatorship governments as long as they allowed US interest deal in their lands and with their resources.

Just thought I would clarify, Marg, that Nigeria isn't a dictatorship. It's a Democracy, albeit a very corrupt one, but hey, thats the fashion in Africa....

It has been thought that Nigeria's crude oil output has been cut by 500,000 barrels per day by MEND (Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta). Now it turns out that Nigeria's crude oil output has in fact been cut by 800,000 barrels per day. And MEND has warned they are preparing for a major attack on the Nigerian oil industry.

MEND is at it again. Apparently 26% of Nigeria's total oil production is shut down right now. MEND sent a message in which they claim they will start attacks on Oil Industry in August...

Rigzone: Niger Delta Militants Plan 'Massive Attacks' on Oil Industry

July 27, 2006


Oil prices in the international market might shoot beyond the current US$75 a barrel if the militant Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) executes its planned attacks on oil installations from August.

Jomo Gbomo, MEND spokesman, told Deutsche Press-Agentur in an e-mail message Thursday that "we shall begin massive attacks on the oil industry from August."

Related links:
1/4-del av Nigerias produksjon nede (in norwegian...)

Seems like they've already started. Several employees from the oil company Eni is being held hostage in Nigeria. They are negotiating to have them released.