Chevron confirms damage to Nigerian oil pipelines

By Randy Fabi

ABUJA (Reuters) - U.S. oil major Chevron confirmed one of its Nigerian oil pipelines was damaged on Friday in the Niger Delta, but output was unaffected as the infrastructure had been shut down before the incident.

The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), Nigeria's main militant group, said late Friday it attacked the Chevron pipelines and threatened to sabotage another facility operated by the U.S. oil company in the region.

"There was a breach on the Makaraba-Utonana-Abiteye pipeline and fire at its Makaraba Jacket 5 facility in Delta State," Chevron spokesman Scott Walker said on Saturday.

MEND, which has declared an "all-out war" against the military last month, has also threatened to attack a Chevron oil facility near the company's Escravos crude oil complex.

The militant group seems to be targeting Chevron-operated facilities.

It bombed an oil pipeline on May 24 that led to a loss in output of 100,000 barrels per day.

The group also said it sabotaged Chevron's Otunana pumping station in Delta state on Tuesday, but the military denied any attack occurred.

"Our workforce is safe, relevant stakeholders have been informed and we are continuing to assess the situation," Walker said.