The Joint Taskforce Operation Delta Safe (OPDS) has reported a significant milestone in crude oil production, with daily output hitting 1.7 million barrels per day. This achievement follows a directive from the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, to eradicate crude oil theft in the Niger Delta region.
Major Kayode Owolabi, Coordinator of the OPDS Joint Media Campaign Centre, announced the development in a statement issued on Sunday. He highlighted that international oil companies (IOCs) are now operating at maximum production capacity, with all three major pipelines—Trans Niger Pipeline (TNP), Trans Escravos Pipeline (TEP), and Trans Ramos Pipeline (TRP)—functioning at full flow.
Owolabi noted that the directive to combat oil theft was issued on July 17, 2024. In response, Rear Admiral J. John Okeke, Commander of the Joint Task Force South-South, Operation Delta Safe, immediately initiated a series of measures starting on July 18. These actions included sensitization visits, hotspot assessments, and subsequent raids. Illegal refineries were dismantled, and materials and boats involved in illegal activities were seized.
The statement detailed that the terminal factors on all major pipelines have achieved 100 percent flow, reflecting the successful operational status of these key infrastructures. Daily crude oil output remains steady at 1.7 million barrels per day, indicating minimal interruptions or vandalism.
Despite these advancements, the statement revealed that output has yet to reach the target of 2.2 million barrels per day. The report attributed this shortfall to the collective production capacity of the IOCs and emphasized the need for increased production efforts by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to meet the target.
Security forces have been credited with substantial progress in monitoring and protecting the pipelines. In July alone, these efforts prevented criminals from accessing approximately 3.6 billion naira worth of resources. The OPDS has been praised for its effectiveness in discovering and dismantling illegal refineries, thus contributing to the 100 percent terminal factor.
Rear Admiral J. U. Okeke acknowledged the contributions of the Land, Maritime, and Air Components of the OPDS, as well as other security agencies. He commended their dedication and adherence to the Chief of Defence Staff’s directives, which have been vital in combating oil theft and illegal refining in the region.
Looking ahead, Okeke called on the NNPCL and IOCs to focus on expanding production capacity to achieve and surpass the 2.2 million barrels per day target. He emphasized the need for a strategic increase in national production capacity to meet this goal.
In a recent live broadcast, President Bola Tinubu underscored the positive developments in oil production, affirming that progress is being made. The OPDS Commander assured that efforts to maintain pipeline security and deny criminal access will continue.
Okeke urged both local and international oil companies to ramp up production and fully utilize pipeline capacities. He emphasized that if the pipelines are already at full capacity, a thorough assessment by the NNPCL is needed to determine if the nation can achieve the 2.2 million barrels per day target. Long-term efforts should focus on enhancing the country’s production capacity to meet and exceed this objective.
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