JTF South-South achieves 95% security of major pipelines, boosts oil production to 1.83mbpd
The Joint Task Force (JTF) South-South, operating under Operation Delta Safe (OPDS), has secured 95% of the Trans-Niger, Trans-Ramos, and Trans-Escravos pipelines within the past three months.
Speaking at a press briefing in Bayelsa State on Wednesday, Rear Admiral John Okeke, Commander of JTF South-South Operation Delta Safe said through proactive measures, the JTF has also successfully increased Nigeria’s crude oil production from 1.2 million barrels per day (mbpd) in early 2024 to 1.83 mbpd as of December 2024.
He said this achievement has also contributed to an 85% reduction in crude oil theft and illegal refinery activities by the end of Q3 2024.
Rear Admiral John Okeke highlighted the critical role of OPDS in stabilizing Nigeria’s economy and ensuring sustainable oil production in the Niger Delta region.
He stated that, “Since January 2024, the Joint Task Force has been steadfast in fulfilling its mandate to safeguard oil infrastructure and deter crude oil theft and other criminal activities across its ten operational areas in the Niger Delta.
He said these efforts had significantly improved economic stability and crude oil output.
According to him, to meet a presidential directive by the Commander-in-Chief, which tasked the Chief of Defence Staff, General TJ Musa, with eliminating crude oil theft and scaling production to 2.2 mbpd, OPDS launched a 90-day operation.
This initiative, executed in two 45-day phases, concluded on October 16, 2024, with significant successes.
“Crude Oil Theft Reduction: An 85% decrease in crude oil theft and illegal refinery activities,” he said.
“Pipeline Security: 95% of the Trans-Niger, Trans-Ramos, and Trans-Escravos pipelines were restored. Performance indicators in the East, West, and Central corridors reached 89%, 96%, and 97%, respectively, as of December 4, 2024.”
Additional Achievements, he said, “OPDS recorded notable success in combating illegal activities, including: Illegal Refinery Dismantling: Over 1.5 million illegal refining sites and associated camps were deactivated.
“Infrastructure Destruction: 1,400 storage facilities and 1,000 wooden boats used in crude oil theft operations were destroyed; Vehicle Seizures: Approximately 300 vehicles, including trucks, tankers, cars, and tricycles used for transporting stolen crude oil and illegal products, were impounded.
“Product Seizures: The JTF confiscated 15 million liters of stolen crude oil and 4 million liters of illegally refined automotive gasoline oil; Over 1,217 suspects were apprehended for various crimes, with many undergoing trials. Innocent individuals have been released following investigations.
“As part of its broader mission, the JTF has enhanced community engagement and mediation between international oil companies (IOCs) and host communities. This effort has resolved 98 corporate social responsibility (CSR) disputes involving companies such as Chevron, SEEPCO, SPDC, AITEO, NECONDE, TotalEnergies, and Oando.”
He however assured that the task force continues to push towards achieving the 2.2 mbpd crude oil production benchmark; enhanced capacity-building measures, including the deployment of advanced tactical drones and intelligent tracking systems, are expected to improve its operational efficiency further.
