THE WALL STREET JOURNAL/DOW JONES NEWSWIRES: Shell: Niger Delta Calmer But Some Oil Still Shut In: “Anglo-Dutch oil major Royal Dutch/Shell Group said Monday it hasn't fully resumed oil and gas operations in the Niger Delta despite diminishing violence; “We are continuing to monitor the situation.”: “Some analysts remain skeptical of the latest efforts to bring stability to the region because corruption, human rights abuses and poverty remain.” (ShellNews.net)
DOW JONES NEWSWIRES
October 4, 2004 9:22 a.m.
LONDON -- Anglo-Dutch oil major Royal Dutch/Shell Group (RD, SC) said Monday it hasn't fully resumed oil and gas operations in the Niger Delta despite diminishing violence.
"We are continuing to monitor the situation. Some relative calm has been observed in the swamps and also in the Ekulama and Santa Barbara (oil fields)," Shell said.
It added these factors will be considered in its review of precautionary measures put in place earlier.
Fighting between insurgents seeking to wrest control of the oil-rich Delta and Nigerian forces last week forced Shell to shut in some 30,000 barrels a day of oil and 27 million standard cubic feet of gas production.
Shell normally produces about 1 million b/d of oil and over 1 billion cubic feet of gas a day through its local joint venture.
Shell pulled out some 300 workers from the volatile region after militia leader Moujahid Dokubo-Asari threatened to target international oil firms in the Niger Delta.
Dokubo-Asari agreed Friday to disarm his fighters and end weeks of battles against troops. Amnesty International says about 500 people have died in the fighting.
Dokubo-Asari said he would continue with a political struggle for greater autonomy for his fellow Ijaw people, the dominant ethnic group in the Niger Delta.
Some analysts remain skeptical of the latest efforts to bring stability to the region because corruption, human rights abuses and poverty remain.
Company Web site: http://www.shell.com
-By Shai Oster, Dow Jones Newswires; +44-20-7842-9357; shai.oster@dowjones.com