Iraq police avert bomb attack on north oilfield

Iraqi police defused bombs planted at two oil wells near the northern city of Kirkuk, according to security and oil sources, who said exports to the Ceyhan port in Turkey were not affected.

The bombs were discovered near two wells producing crude from the Bai Hassan oilfield, which is currently pumping around 150,000 barrels per day (bpd), officials at state-run North Oil Company (NOC) said.

No group has claimed responsibility, but several armed factions are active in Kirkuk, and Sunni Islamist insurgents linked to al Qaeda often attack security forces and energy installations in an attempt to undermine the Arab Shi'ite-led government.

Militants have recently stepped up attacks against oil export pipelines in the north, a sign of the challenges Iraq faces to protect its energy infrastructure as it rebuilds an industry battered by years of war and sanctions.

Crude oil flows from the OPEC member to Turkey on the Kirkuk-Ceyhan pipeline were interrupted in May due to repeated attacks and Iraq recently foiled an al Qaeda plot to bomb a key Baghdad oil facility.

Violence has spiked since the start of the year as al Qaeda's local wing, the Islamic State of Iraq, and other Sunni Islamist insurgents stepped up attacks to try to stoke a wide scale sectarian conflict.

The bulk of Iraq's oil is exported from the southern terminals of Basra, but just below 400,000 bpd - a quarter of all exports - is pumped through the Kirkuk pipeline to Ceyhan port in Turkey.

Seven states to refund N17.5 billion to Rivers State

Seven states have been ordered by the Federal Government to refund N17.5 billion to Rivers State. The amount, it was learnt, represents the sum the affected states, namely Akwa Ibom, Delta, Bayelsa, Imo, Edo, Abia and Ondo had received as part of their 13 percent derivation revenue from two oil wells, which the Rivers State Government had successfully proved belong to it.

The Federal Government ordered the refund to Rivers State, following a protest by the state that its revenue from the affected oil wells located in respect of Nda and Okwori oil fields with effect from 2007 had been shared to oil producing states by the Federal Government. In response to the directive, Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission, RMAFC, wrote the Accountant General of the Federation, Mr. J.O Otunla on January 17, 2012, to effect the reduction of the money from the allocations of the seven states with immediate effect.

Protest over Designation of Anambra as Oil State

Following the designation of Anambra State as the 10th oil-producing state in Nigeria by President Goodluck Jonathan, three border communities between Enugu, Kogi and Anambra States are insisting that it was out of order for oil in their areas to be allocated to Anambra State.

Members of the three host communities in Enugu State involved in the oil wells dispute, have vowed to protect the oil in their place with the last drop of their blood. In a joint press statement the communities, Ojjor, Iggah and Asaba, all in the Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area of Enugu State, berated the Enugu State Government over what it called “it’s obvious indifference in safeguarding the oil wells in our communities.” They accused the Enugu State Government of watching helplessly while Anambra State claimed the oil wells domiciled in their area.

76 Oil Wells: A’Ibom to Renegotiate with C’River

Akwa Ibom State Governor Godswill Akpabio says his state is willing to dialogue with Cross River over the disputed 76 oil wells, which the Supreme Court awarded to Akwa Ibom in a July 10 ruling. Akpabio said this saturday in Uyo during the state’s monthly prayer meeting held at John’s Chaplaincy, in the Governor’s Lodge.

The oil wells had been the subject of a fierce political dispute between the two sister states, which shifted to the court when Cross River went to the Supreme Court to claim ownership of the wells. It joined the federal government as a defendant in the suit, which, among other prayers, sought to compel the federal government and Akwa Ibom State to pay N15.5 billion to Cross River State as 13 per cent derivation from November 2009 to March 2010.

But the apex court ruled by a unanimous decision that the 76 oil wells belonged to Akwa Ibom State. The court also dismissed an application filed by Cross River State a few days to the judgement asking it to stay action on the judgement because Akwa Ibom had, allegedly, presented a doctored map of the Nigeria-Cameroon boundary as part of the documents it submitted to the court. But Akpabio said, “Akwa Ibom is extending a further hand of fellowship that despite the Supreme Court judgement, Akwa Ibom is ready to enter into dialogue with Cross River State to end the issue of the 76 oil wells.”

http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/76-oil-wells-a-ibom-to-renegotiate-with-c-river/122726/