TurkishPress.com: Leak cuts Shell Nigerian production by 20,000 barrels per day: Shell's Nigerian subsidiary will see oil production cut by 20,000 barrels per day for "a few days" (ShellNews.net)

LAGOS, Oct 12 (AFP) - Shell's Nigerian subsidiary will see oil production cut by 20,000 barrels per day for "a few days" because of a leak and a fire on one of the firm's major pipelines, a company spokesman said Tuesday.

The Anglo-Dutch oil giant had earlier announced that crude oil supplies headed for the Bonny export terminal would be diverted from the 70 centimetre (28 inch) Trans-Niger pipeline to a narrower conduit during repairs.

"The switch of pipelines will involve a production cutback of about 20,000 barrels per day, but it will be for a few days because the 28 inch line will be fixed soon," said a company statement released here.

The Trans-Niger pipeline burst open on Sunday according to local witnesses and leaking crude caught fire on Monday. Shell have accused local demonstrators of delaying repairs to the leak, a charge denied by a community leader.

Shell said the fire may have been started deliberately.

News of the production shortfall came as world oil prices hit an all-time high, crossing the 54 dollar mark in New York for the first time because of fears about production in Nigeria and Norway, where strikes are in progress.

http://www.turkishpress.com/turkishpress/news.asp?ID=30534