Rising COVID-19 Cases at Oilfields Threaten Nigeria’s Output

• Nigeria, others submit production compensation plans to OPEC
• UK S/Court hears N/Delta communities’ case against Shell

The rising number of COVID-19 cases among workers at Nigeria’s offshore oilfields and platforms is a growing threat to the country’s oil production, sources within the oil sector said.

However, Nigeria, which failed to curb oil production quota in strict adherence with the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) agreement in an effort to ameliorate the glut in the international market, has now submitted a comprehensive plan on output cuts.

This is coming as the United Kingdom Supreme Court yesterday heard an appeal from Nigerian farmers and fishermen seeking to pursue claims against oil major, Royal Dutch Shell, over spills in the Niger Delta.

S&P Global Platts reported that maintenance at the offshore Bonga oilfield has already been disrupted after the operator, Shell, was forced to evacuate workers due to a pandemic outbreak.

The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) confirmed that a growing number of workers were being diagnosed with COVID-19 at offshore and remote oil locations and expressed fears it might disrupt production.

The DPR did not, however, name the fields affected, but blamed the outbreak on personnel not adhering to the rules and guidelines.

SOURCE: ThisDay