No stolen Nigerian oil 'sold in Thailand'

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CRIMES
No stolen Nigerian oil 'sold in Thailand'
Watcharapong Thongrung
The Nation, Agencies

BANGKOK: -- Energy Inspector-General Somnuek Bamrungsalee flatly denied that Thailand is one of the destinations of oil "stolen from NIgeria".

He said that there was only a small chance of Thai refineries buying the stolen oil, as under Thai law, retailers normally buy oil from trade partners under long-term contracts.

"There's no way that other traders could offer the stolen oil to long-time trade partners, to supply to Thai retailers, including PTT," he said. He believed that the stolen Nigerian oil might have been destined to countries where supervision was less stringent than in Thailand.

Regarding concerns that the stolen oil could be smuggled into Thailand, he said the Customs Department could check this, as it had the data of oil tankers entering Thai waters.

There was a report that Thailand is one of the countries where stolen Nigerian oil worth billions of US dollars is sold every year, with much of the proceeds being laundered in world financial centres such as Britain and the United States.

A study by London-based Chatham House found that Thailand and other Asian countries including China, India, Singapore and Indonesia were among the major international markets for stolen Nigerian oil, according to a report by the think-tank.

"Sources interviewed during the research for this report tentatively pointed to the United States, several West African countries, Brazil, China, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia and the Balkans as possible destinations," said the report titled "Nigeria's Criminal Crude: International Options to Combat the Export of Stolen Oil".

An investigator claimed to have discovered a stolen oil cargo in Thailand, according to the report, which was released on Thursday.

"Nigerian crude oil is being stolen on an industrial scale," the report said.

Chatham House, which also reviewed thousands of documents, said the figure was almost certainly more than 100,000 barrels per day. Nigeria is Africa's largest oil producer, with output of about 2 million barrels per day.

Thai energy authorities yesterday flatly denied reports that this country is one of the potential buyers of crude oil stolen from Nigeria.

Estimates on the scale of the problem vary, with some Nigerian officials saying 150,000 barrels per day is stolen, costing some US$6 billion (Bt185 billion) a year in lost revenue. "The proceeds are laundered through world financial centres and used to buy assets in and outside Nigeria," said the think-tank.

Few fully grasp the problem and those affected have shown little desire to act, it added. "In Nigeria, politicians, military officers, militants, oil-industry personnel, oil traders and communities profit," Chatham House said.

Global oil giants such as Shell, ExxonMobil, Total, Chevron and ENI all operate in the Niger Delta, but it is "unclear how much export oil" these companies lose, it said.

"We have not reached the breaking point," one oil executive was quoted as saying.

Authors Christina Katsouris and Aaron Sayne said in the report: "This illicit oil is likely to have found ready buyers in West Africa, the US, Europe and several Asian countries.

"Stolen Nigerian crude and the profits from it are laundered around the world, threatening the integrity of financial markets and legitimate oil businesses."

Among the majors, Shell has been the most vocal and is likely the hardest-hit given its larger presence onshore.

But companies have in recent months sold onshore assets, seemingly to focus on deep-water projects, where the risks of theft and unrest are limited.

The initial stages of Nigerian crude-oil theft are largely known, with gangs tapping into pipelines, then pumping crude to smaller vessels, which take it to larger ships for international sale.

Chatham House said it was less clear where the illicit crude was taken abroad and how it got there.

It partly reaches world markets through "co-loading", where stolen oil is put on a ship carrying legal oil. Documents are forged and the vessel departs seemingly laden with legitimate cargo.

"Oil theft is a species of organised crime that is almost totally off the international community's radar," Chatham House said.


-- The Nation 2013-09-21

[Chittychangchang]

Them Nigerians are doing some business in Nana, everytime i walk past their Soi someone tries to sell me some.

CCC

Edited September 20, 2013 by Chittychangchang

[MB1]

He said that there was only a small chance of Thai refineries buying the stolen oil, as under Thai law, retailers normally buy oil from trade partners under long-term contracts.

Only a small chance. which wipes out the headline of the topic

No stolen Nigerian oil 'sold in Thailand'

The reporting just get's funnier...

[ChrisY1]

Whenever a Government official "Flatly Denies" anything.....the opposite is usually the case......can't see anything different here....!!

If it's available at a cheaper rate than through the usual channels....then there's good chance it's being traded here in Thailand

[canopus1969]

Am impressed with this :

to countries where supervision was less stringent than in Thailand.

[bigbamboo]

Just because an international study says there is stolen Nigerian oil being offered for sale in Thailand I see no reason not to trust the Thai government official's denial.

Whilst I have heard of Nigerians in Thailand selling fake goods, stolen passports, drugs and even women here I've never heard of one trying to sell anybody a can of oil.

[monty1412]

Mr Energy Inspector.. its so easy to check.. every oil has its on fingerprint.. just get a small sample for each of the large cargoes coming in over a period of a month and test against samples of Nigerian oil.. use a gas chromatograph and bingo you can refute the claim for once and all.. statements like countries less stringent than Thailand whilst adding brevity to your comments do nothing to bolster your case.

[trainman34014]

Six years of experiencing Thai denials has taught me that if they say they are not doing something then you can be very sure that they are doing it...normally big time. Lets face it; if you were looking for somewhere to offload anything that represents cash to local officials who will make things 'vanish' into the system then Thailand would be one of the first countries in your mind.

[Patje]

Pinocchio is spotted in Thailand ...........

[Bagwan]

Just because an international study says there is stolen Nigerian oil being offered for sale in Thailand I see no reason not to trust the Thai government official's denial.

Whilst I have heard of Nigerians in Thailand selling fake goods, stolen passports, drugs and even women here I've never heard of one trying to sell anybody a can of oil.

Maybe that you don't know of anybody with the resources and bent enough to buy a few thousand tons of dodgy oil.

[marell]

Maybe it's not being sold. Maybe it's simply being traded for something.

[tragickingdom]

A land full of idiots and a handful of wise men seem to be the valid everywhere. Stolen crude is mixed with legally sold crude and thus untraceable. The urge of certain people in top positions to deny without even knowing the facts is shocking. There is just one rationale behind the stupidity these officials are showing: the fear that Thailand's name might be damaged, while in fact the speeds with who this gentleman is denying the report suggest he is in the know and probably gets a nice kickback.

[Thai at Heart]

Because when international organisations make accusations about Thailand, they are always barking up the wrong tree.

[Mudcrab]

"Sources interviewed during the research for this report tentatively pointed to the United States, several West African countries, Brazil, China, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia and the Balkans as possible destinations,"

Why bash Thailand? look at the other countries mentioned! The US wouldn't buy dodgy oil......<deleted> they go to war over oil!!!

[OmegaRacer]

Just a thought: wouldn't it be easier to check the country who exports the oil, instead of trying to find out where it might be headed to?

[MegaRanter]

Who is the doing the selling, we all know who and who is doing that. The European multinationals, that is led by the british oil giant(insert Sh..). They are the sellers in connivance with elements of the Nigerian military, active and retired.

They in the nineties let the then military leader hang a world famous environmental activist and few of his friends. He was fighting for just demands. That made Shell happy.

The 'powerful' governments did nothing, said nothing, oil continues to flow.

They will just cause a civil war if nigerians ever pull their teeth from their tits.

Edited September 21, 2013 by MegaRanter

[Ulic]

Well that confirms it. Nigerian oil is being refined and sold as gasoline,diesel and other byproducts

here in Thailand. Take note the statement is true. Dodgy oil is not being sold here in Thailand it is

purchased abroad and just the refined products are sold here