LONDON, Sept 20 (Reuters) - Royal Dutch Shell hasclosed a key oil pipeline due to oil theft less than a weekafter it announced it had reopened, underscoring the hugechallenges faced by Africa's largest oil exporter.
Leaks from crude oil theft on the Trans Niger Pipeline inNigeria have continued, causing a further shut-in of Bonny Lightgrade oil, Shell said on Friday.
It had announced on Monday that the 150,000 bpd pipelinere-opened, prompting speculation that a force majeure may belifted.
An estimated 100,000 barrels per day (bpd) of oil was stolenfrom pipelines in the Niger Delta in the first quarter of thisyear, the report by London-based Chatham House said, notincluding the unknown quantities stolen from export terminals.
Shell's statement said that the latest shut-in had occurredon Wednesday 18 Sept "following reports of a leaking crude theftpoint at Bodo West in Ogoniland."
The statement also said that the Nembe Creek Trunkline isclosed as Shell is removing illegal connections.
It added that in the western Niger Delta the Trans EscravosPipeline was shut down on Sept 12 for removal of illegalconnections and reopened on Sept 16.
"While the Trans Niger Pipeline has since been repaired andreopened from the crude theft leaks which forced its closure onJuly 16, similar incidents have caused several shut-insthereafter."