Shell lifts force majeure on Nigerian Bonny oil exports

ABUJA (Reuters) - Royal Dutch Shell has lifted a force majeure on Nigerian Bonny Light crude oil exports which was declared in April after the shut down of a 150,000 barrel per day pipeline, the company said on Friday. Africa's biggest oil exporter has been producing around 15 percent below its 2.5 million bpd (bpd) capacity this year due to widespread oil theft and leakages from ageing pipelines. "The force majeure on Bonny Light exports was lifted effective 1600 hours Thursday October 3 following the re-opening of the 24-inch TNP (Trans Niger Pipeline)," a statement said. Shell is the foreign oil major worst affected by oil theft but Italian energy company Eni has also had its profits hit by criminal gangs tapping into its pipelines. The Anglo-Dutch major has resumed gas supplies to Nigeria's 22 million metric tonne a year liquefied natural gas terminal but a force majeure on gas remains in place, the statement said. "(We) will decide when best to lift the force majeure declared on that (supply) activity," the statement said, adding that repairs to the Trans Niger and Nembe Creek pipelines were progressing.