YENAGOA, Nigeria, Dec 12 (Reuters) – Nigeria’s state oil company NNPC Ltd said an explosion at its key Escravos-Lagos gas pipeline on December 10 disrupted operations and prompted an emergency response.
The blast was reported near the Tebijor, Okpele and Ikpopo communities in the coastal Delta state, the company said late Thursday. Initial checks showed a pressure drop consistent with a loss of containment on the pipeline, NNPC said.
The company did not give details of the extent of the damage or any casualties.
The Escravos–Lagos pipeline, with capacity to pump 2.2 billion cubic feet per day, is a critical link in Nigeria’s gas network, feeding power plants and industrial users in the southwest.
Disruptions often raise concerns over electricity supply in Africa’s most populous country, which relies heavily on gas-fired generation.
While the cause of the incident remains unclear, NNPC said investigations were under way. Emergency response teams have been deployed and NNPC is working with authorities and local leaders to coordinate mitigation efforts, it said.
Reporting by Tife Owolabi in Yenagoa. Writing by Elisha Bala-Gbogbo. Editing by Mark Potter
