By Chioma Obinagwam
The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC has directed that a gas pipeline in Delta state be shut down after leakage was detected.
The facility was shut down on Friday following a breach, according to the Corporation and local authorities.
Confiance News gathered that the shutdown may have grave consequences in the supply of power to Egbin Plant as Gas processed from the field goes into the Escravos-Lagos Pipeline, which feeds Egbin power plant.
Egbin Power Plc. is the largest power generating station in Nigeria with an installed capacity of 1,320 MW consisting of 6 Units of 220MW each. The station is located at Ijede / Egbin, in Ikorodu, Lagos State.
Although sources in Otu-Jeremi in Ughelli South area of Delta state reported an explosion on the pipeline, NNPC said the pipeline was shut down following a leak.
The Police however said they were investigating the situation as two local residents said there was an explosion.
“NNPC are saying that it was a rupture and not fire, but my men have gone there to find out,” said Adeyinka Adeleke, a senior police officer in Delta state.
But NNPC spokesman Ndu Ughamadu said the company had ordered the pipeline closed following a leak and that repair works would commence soon.
The pipeline flows from Oil Mining License 34, which is owned by Nigeria Petroleum Development Co, a subsidiary of NNPC, and Nigerian company ND Western.
The OML 34 produces an average of 390 million standard cubic feet per day of gas, and 17,000 barrels per day of oil and condensates.
