Shell halts production at Nigerian oil field after attack

0 Comments | AFP, June, 2008

LAGOS (AFP) — Militants attacked Shell's main offshore oilfield in Nigeria on Thursday, forcing the Anglo-Dutch giant to shut down production and raising fears for the security of deepsea facilities in the region.

"We shut down production at the Bonga oilfield following an attack by unknown militants this morning," Shell spokesman Precious Okolobo said.

Bonga lies 120 kilometres (75 miles) offshore and has a daily output capacity of 200,000 barrels of oil and 150 million standard cubic feet of gas.

The attack set alarm bells ringing in oil circles as such facilities had been previously considered out of the reach of the armed groups who stage regular raids on installations closer to shore.

"It's very, very worrying," one oil company executive told...