American oil worker kidnapped in attack
Nigerian President Umaru Yar'Adua vowed that "all necessary action" would be taken against those who attacked the Bonga oil offshore oil field Thursday. The platform, which is run by the Royal Dutch Shell oil company, is about 120 kilometers (75 miles) out, making it an unusal attack and target.
Claiming responsibility for the attack was terrorist group "Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta" (MEND), which, like other terrorist groups, want it to be known "the location for the attack was deliberately chosen to remove any notion that off-shore oil exploration is far from our reach. The oil companies and their collaborators do not have any place to hide in conducting their nefarious activities."
In the past the group has targeted onshore locations; primarily blowing up pipelines or kidnapping oil workers.
This time around they also kidnapped an American oil worker who the terrorists named as Captain Jack Stone. They want to exchange their captive for other Niger Delta terrorists held by the Nigerian government.
Some security analysts believe this could become a new trend by the attackers, and significant measures will have to be taken to combat it.
Existing tools used to battle the terrorists are blast walls that resist explosions, anti-climb paint and naval patrols around the clock.
More sophisticated measures like blast-proof floating steel walls, fast patrol boats equipped with machine guns and long range acoustic warning devices (LRAD) will need to be used to effectively battle the attackers, say security experts. Other things like better radar systems and attack helicopters could also be part of the defensive tactics needed to prevent this from happening again.
In this case the attackers were extremely bold and took major risks, as they traveled on small speed boats through powerful currents over the 120 kilometer distance, surprising about everyone, which made the strategy successful.
Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), the largest operating in Nigeria, has invoked a clause in their contract (force majeure) which enables them to suspend operations at the Bonga field. For June and July they'll stop all deliveries from the field.
Taking all attacks into account on Shell, it is estimated about 400,000 barrels a day have been lost.
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Shell Shuts Nigeria's Bonga Oil Field After Attack
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