Take Over Oil Wells, Buhari Orders NNPC

President Muhammadu Buhari has directed the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to take over the operatorship of the Oil Mining Lease 11 from Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC).

Naija News reports that the directive was contained in a letter addressed to the Group Managing Director of NNPC, Dr Maikanti Baru, dated March 1, 2019.

“Kindly note that the President has directed NNPC/NPDC to take over the operatorship, from Shell Petroleum Development Company, of the entire OML 11 not later than 30 April 2019, and ensure smooth re-entry given the delicate situation in Ogoniland,” the letter read.

The letter said the President has “directed NNPC/NPDC to confirm by 2 May 2019, of the assumption of the operatorship.”

This online news platform understands that OML 11 lies in the southeastern Niger Delta and contains 33 oil and gas fields of which eight are producing as per 2017.

On the other hand, the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) Ltd, a fully-owned subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), has acknowledged the receipt of the letter on March 5, 2019.