(Adds SPDC comment in paragraph 4)
By Julia Payne
LONDON, July 11 (Reuters) - Nigeria's Trans Niger Pipeline,one of two major pipelines that carries Bonny Light crude forexport, was shut down on Monday, an industry source familiarwith the matter said.
Neither the cause of the shutdown nor any impact onproduction was known.
Oil major Shell operates the Bonny Light exportterminal through its local affiliate SPDC.
"SPDC shut down the Trans Niger Pipeline today [July 11,2016] following a leak at Gio in Ogoniland. We are workingtowards a joint investigation visit into the cause of the leak,preparatory to repair of the line," said an SPDC spokesman.
The other major pipeline, the Nembe Creek Trunk Line (NCTL),that transports Bonny Light to port was operating normally,several industry sources said. Local firm Aiteo operates theNCTL.
Shell lifted force majeure on Bonny Light exports last week.The force majeure had been announced after a leak was found onthe NCTL on May 11.
Nigeria's oil production has recovered to around 1.9 millionbarrels per day, its oil minister Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu said onFriday. Attacks by the militant group, the Niger Delta Avengers,had pushed output to its lowest in over 20 years.
Exports of the Forcados crude blend, loaded from Shell'sForcados terminal, have been down since February following anunderwater pipeline attack. Kachikwu said that repairs wereexpected to be completed at the end of July. (Writing by Julia Payne and Alexis Akwagyiram; Editing byWilliam Hardy and David Evans)
