News

_At least 20 people were feared killed_ in a blazing fire from a burst petroleum products pipeline in Akute, in Ogun State.

Properties worth several millions of naira were also consumed in the inferno, which started early on Saturday. The fire was still raging as at press time yesterday as fire fighters drawn from the Lagos Fire Services and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) battled to keep it out.

Eye witness account informed that scores of villagers had converged at the spot, known as Akute-Odo, to scoop petrol from the burst pipeline.

In the ensuing struggle, fire was ignited which spread fast and consumed the people around the area, spreading fast to adjoining houses and farmlands in the area.

"About 20 bodies have been counted, the figure could be more because the fire was still raging and made rescue effort difficult," said a resident. There was, however, no independent confirmation as at press time.

THISDAY gathered that the fuel pipeline owned by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), runs across from Ibadan enroute Lagos.

The NNPC yesterday linked the cause of the fire to vandalisation of the pipeline by unknown persons.

"The pipeline on the Ibadan Expressway terminating in Lagos was vandalised at Akute point, and the people had gone to scoop fuel before the fire broke out," said NNPC spokesman, Mr Ndu Ughamadu.

Ughamadu said a team of fire fighters had been dispatched by the NNPC from Warri to join in putting out the fire, adding that the fire could be put out by today.

"We are appealing to Nigerians to see the pipelines as belonging to the nation and not necessarily the NNPC and they should not be tampering with them in order to steal products," he added.

The pipeline fire was the second major incident to claim several lives and properties in the country in the last two weeks, following the factory fire in Ikorodu, Lagos State that killed about 30 people.

It is also the latest in the series of oil pipeline-related fire disasters where several hundreds of people had died.

In July 1998, hundredsof villagers from Jesse community, in Delta State, perished in an inferno that engulfed them while scooping petrol from a burst pipeline.

In November 2000, 60 people were killed in a pipeline fire in Takwa-Bay, Lagos. They too had gone scooping fuel from a burst line.

Meanwhile, the Minister of State for Defence (Navy), Dr. Olu Agunloye has decried the growing practice of oil smuggling in the country, which he added had cost the nation 9 million monthly losses every month.

Agunloye said that inspite of the efforts of the Navy to check illegal bunkering, a lot still needed to be done before the trade could be halted.

The minister who spoke at the launching of the Navy's first aid manual at the NNS Quorra Base, in Apapa assured that government was doing al it could to improve the capacity of the Navy to deal with the smugglers.

NNPC report for year 2001, had put the quantity of oil lost to ilegal bunkering at 44.5 million litres amounting to .7 million.

Source: All Africa

Technip-Coflexip (NYSE: TKP, Euronext: 13170) announced today that one of its UK entities Coflexip Stena Offshore Limited (CSOL), has been awarded the pipelines and subsea infrastructure EPIC (Engineering, Procurement, Installation and Construction) contract from Marathon Oil U.K. Ltd. for the Braemar field and the Brae B to Miller gas transfer pipeline developments in the Northern North Sea. The contract, worth over EUR52 million (£30 million), includes the tie-back of the Braemar production well to the Marathon operated East Brae platform and the installation of a new gas transfer pipeline between the Marathon operated Brae B and BP operated Miller platforms.

Within the scope of the contract, CSOL will undertake the project management, engineering and design, manufacture and installation of the Braemar production pipeline (12.5km) and Brae B to Miller linkline (8.5km) that are required for the development. CSOL is also responsible for the project management, engineering and installation of the production control umbilical between the Braemar well and the East Brae platform (12.5km) and associated equipment. Tie-ins, testing and commissioning of the completed infrastructure will be carried out by CSOL with a target of first gas before the end of 2003.

Construction and installation of the subsea infrastructure will be carried out between March and August 2003 by vessels from the Technip-Coflexip fleet of 14. The reelship, CSO Apache is scheduled to commence offshore operations for the pipelay phase of the project in April 2003 with trenching support being provided by the Normand Pioneer. Installation of the subsea structures, umbilicals, tie-ins spools and system testing will be completed by the Diving Support Vessels (DSVs), CSO Wellservicer and CSO Orelia. Fabrication of the Pipe in Pipe system (to connect the Braemar well to the East Brae platform) will be undertaken at Technip-Coflexip's Evanton spoolbase in Scotland. The control umbilical will be designed and manufactured by Technip-Coflexip's Newcastle subsidiary, DUCO Ltd.

Ian Stevenson, Managing Director of CSOL, commented: "We are delighted that Marathon Oil U.K. Ltd. has chosen to work with CSOL on this challenging and important project. Our extensive track record in providing subsea pipeline solutions in the North Sea enables us to provide fast-track solutions which suit the needs of our clients where safety is given the highest priority. We look forward to working with Marathon Oil U.K. Ltd. and assisting in the successful completion of both projects."


* * *
With a workforce of about 18,000, Technip-Coflexip ranks among the top five in the field of oil and petrochemical engineering, construction and services. Headquartered in Paris, the Group is listed in New York (NYSE: TKP) and in Paris (Euronext: 13170). The main engineering and business centers of Technip-Coflexip are located in France, Italy, Germany, the UK, Norway, Finland, the Netherlands, the United States, Brazil, Abu-Dhabi, China, India, Malaysia and Australia. The Group has high-quality industrial and construction facilities in France, Brazil, the UK, the USA, and Finland as well as a world class fleet of offshore construction vessels.

Source: TECHNIP-COFLEXIP

Headlines from Oil Voice

• ENI Australia Announces Timor Sea Farm-in Opportunity
• Prosper Distribution Limited Announces Name Change Following Takeover
• MENA Hydrocarbons Joins Kulczyk Oil to Explore Syria Block 9
• KOV Commits to Phase 2 Exploration Program in Brunei Block L
• E.ON Welcomes Compromise on Nuclear Energy
• Refinery Additions Lagging Oil Demand Growth According to New Analysis
• Lundin Sells Its Salawati Interests in Indonesia
• Stuart Petroleum Announces First Oil Flow From Worrior 7 Well
• Ikon Science Goes Brazilian
• Oilex Identifies Significant Reserves at Cambay Field, India