Criminal gangs in Nigeria have shifted their focus from oil pipelines to gas conduits, tapping into them to steal valuable condensate. This dangerous practice has severely reduced exports from Africa’s largest liquefied natural gas plant.
For decades, thieves have targeted the oil pipelines that run through Nigeria’s Niger Delta region. But a recent government crackdown on crude theft has pushed these groups toward gas pipelines, where they extract condensate—an ultra-light form of oil that’s easier to process in makeshift refineries than crude oil.
“It is a very high-risk, very dangerous operation, that’s not always successful. But when it’s successful, they make a lot of money,” explained Effiong Okon, managing director of ANOH gas plant, a Seplat Energy subsidiary operating a $700 million gas project in the area.