Abdu urges NNPC to adopt real-time surveillance system to check against pipeline vandalism

Dr. Abdu made the call while speaking with newsmen, stressing that he is worried over the incessant oil theft, great financial loss and illegal bunkering impacts on the environment and the Nigerian economy.

 Recently, the Federal Government and some oil firms lost an estimated $67.92m (N24.45bn) in revenue in eight days following the suspension of exports of Forcados, one of the nation’s largest crude oil grades.

Also, last year, Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC) Joint Venture said, it loses about N202 million daily in revenue to activities of criminals in the Niger Delta, The company attributed the loss to daily attacks on its pipelines by suspected crude oil thieves and vandals.

Some analysts maintain that one solution to the issue of illegal bunkering and  pipeline vandalism is the deployment of  a real-time oil and gas pipeline monitoring and surveillance systems in the country.

Dr. Abdu engineer of international repute and a product of Bayero University and Robert Gordon University in the UK said he developed the system of dictating theft from oil pipeline installations in Nigeria.

According to him ‘’ I developed these systems out of patriotism. I decided to develop something to contribute to solving one of our national problems which are oil and gas pipeline vandalism and crude oil theft.

Dr, Abdu said he had made presentations of his prototype of system equipment to the DPR to domesticate his technology.

According to him, ‘this advanced technological innovation was conceived in response to the need to address and combat oil theft and pipeline vandalism. The system has been tested on the 76km Atlas-cove to Mosimi and the Warri to Kaduna refinery pipeline network belonging to the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and the Pipelines and Product Marketing Company (PPMC).

‘’ On these selected pipelines, a number of tapped points and manifolds were identified with the use of the system. Technology This technology is based on a mathematical algorithm on vibration, frequency and acoustic signals, which are all based on a wireless sensor network that communicates through satellite,GSM, GPS or GPRS. ‘’

 ‘’These detect and locate the position of pipelines vandalism and hot tap points of crude oil and refined petroleum products theft, thereby triggering alarms that will call for action by the operators by observing on monitors, laptops and any device which can hook up to satellite signals where pipeline vandalism and crude oil theft is taking place in real-time, thereby giving the JTF, Air force, and Naval patrol boats and all security agencies involved in the protection and monitoring of pipelines immediate and exact location(s) where such criminal activity/activities is/ are taking place.’’. he stated

He expressed that the time pipeline surveillance and monitoring system against vandalism and crude oil theft, Sensors are attached at 3KM intervals along the Pipeline, the sensors transmit/really any activities along the Pipeline right of way through the Nodes and the events of vandalism or crude oil theft will be displayed on mobiles phones, computers and ipads using wireless sensors network with satellite.

He affirmed that in 2010 the National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS) a subsidiary of NNPC   invited him to make a presentation of his prototype system. Also in 2011, the DPR commended him for another demonstration.  The satisfactory of the performance made DPR and NAPIMS advise operators to consider the deployment of the system, to mitigate against the incessant and continuous pipeline vandalism and oil theft.

Schemetic diagram of the exact location of CRUDE OIL THIEFT or vandalism that will be displayed on the monitors in seurity control room, mobile phones and ipads.

However, until now his company system is yet to be deployed in the monitoring of the pipeline. In a letter cited by our correspondent, dated Feb 12, 2020, Dr. Abdu  called on the NNPC to revisit the company’s submission of the quotation as regards to  real-time oil and gas pipeline monitoring and surveillance system.

He also, urged the Federal Government and NNPCto direct all oil and gas upstream and downstream operators to deploy this noble and indigenous technology to help complement government’s effort in monitoring and protecting pipelines from the threat of vandalism and oil and gas product theft.

Schemetic diagram of the REAL-TIME PIPELINE SUVEILLANCE AND MONITORING SYSTEM AGAINST VANDALISM AND CRUDE OIL THIEFT ,  Sensors are to attached at 3KM intervals along the Pipeline, the sensors transmit/really any activities along the Pipeline write of way through the NODES and the events of vandalism or CRUDE OIL THIEFT will be display on mobiles phones, computers and ipads using wireless sensors network with  satellite.