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Oil majors provided much faster Nigerian exit if they pay for clean-up

Majors such as Exxon Mobil and Shell that goal to exit Nigeria's. onshore oil can get quicker approval to do so if they take. responsibility for spills instead of await authorities to. apportion blame, the regulator said on Friday.

Exxon, Shell, TotalEnergies, and Eni have actually all sought to. leave Nigeria's oil-rich Niger delta recently mentioning. security concerns, including theft and sabotage, to focus on. deepwater drilling. However, their exits have actually been delayed by. regulatory hurdles.

At a meeting with the companies in Abuja, Nigerian Upstream. Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) chief Gbenga Komolafe. provided a short-term alternative with faster approval if the. companies dedicate to tidying up spills and compensating. communities.

We have the endeavor here. The authorization here though repaired. for June, could be much shorter, he said.

If you consent to take that option, you sign the undertaking. understanding that there are obligations to be satisfied, Komolafe. stated.

The second long-lasting option includes awaiting NURPC to. identify and designate all liabilities, potentially postponing the. last approval up until August.

NURPC is seeking to balance a quicker exit for oil majors. with securing the environment, local neighborhoods, and the. long-lasting viability of the properties

The business are reviewing the alternatives and will react. quickly, they stated.

Experts say the sped up choice could cost oil majors. millions of dollars for cleanups and reparations.

The departure of the majors suggests a total of 26 onshore. blocks are on deal, holding an approximated reserve of 13.76. billion barrels of oil, 2.70 billion barrels of condensate, and. about 90,717 billion cubic feet of gas, NUPRC stated.

We aim to make sure that the business that take control of these. blocks have the necessary financial resources and possess the. technical knowledge required to responsibly handle the blocks. throughout their lifecycle in accordance with good asset. stewardship practices, Komolafe stated.

(source: Reuters)