Growing threats from rebel and criminal groups in Nigeria’s Niger delta are forcing the government to step up security in the key oil producing region, as a rising level of pipeline attacks disrupt oil output. Pipeline attacks have halted about 250,000 b/d of Nigeria’s Forcados crude since February. Exports of about 115,000 b/d of Brass River crude were disrupted briefly this month because of pipeline problems. Nigeria, Africa’s largest oil producer, is unable to supply crude by pipeline to its refineries, resulting in acute gasoline shortages. Electricity output has fallen because of disruptions to gas supplies to power plants caused by a shut-in of production at the Forcados field.
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