ExxonMobil’s Nigerian oil producing unit says crude production and exports from its assets in southern Nigerian have come under threat following an over six-week blockade by former employees protesting their dismissal.
ExxonMobil, which exports over 300,000 b/d of crude from the Qua Iboe terminal, said the aggrieved workers, who were ex-security personnel engaged by the US oil firm along with 508 workers were dismissed in July, had been blockading the company’s offices and facilities since July 13.
A company spokesman told S&P Global Platts Monday that the protest had delayed plans by ExxonMobil to start refurbishing crude oil pipelines at the Qua Iboe terminal targeted at increasing production.
The chairman of ExxonMobil branch of the senior oil workers’ Pengassan union Rasak Obe had said in a statement in July that the workers had embarked on the action to protest against the mass, unfair dismissal of workers, mainly security personnel. Obe said then the action would not be called off until the company re-instated the workers.
