A Chevron Corp. crude-oil pipeline running through Nigeria's Niger Delta was attacked early on Friday morning forcing a shut in of 20,000 barrels a day.
The attack took place at Makaraba about 100 kilometres (60 miles) southwest of Warri, one of the main cities of Delta State.
Niger Delta pipelines have been vulnerable to attacks in the past by militants linked to the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), who are seeking a fairer share of oil revenue for local communities.
The MEND attacked the same area in June during a wave of violence before some militants began laying down their arms as part of a government amnesty program.
Chevron Nigeria Ltd., the company's local subsidiary, operates the line with the state-run Nigerian National Petroleum Corp. Chevron previously pulled out of the area in 2003 over vandalism and attacks by local militants, but returned in 2007.
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