An attempt to steal crude oil from the main oil pipeline in the Western Dessert in the Meliha field has been foiled, Al-Masry al-Youm has learned.
The field belongs to Agiba Petroleum Company.
On 25 October Agiba had discovered an oil leak caused by a break in the main pipeline, which has a diameter of 16 inches.
The thieves were planning to use high-pressure hoses to divert the pipeline, a source from the company said.
The same source said that the company has filed a report of the incident, pointing out that the most likely perpetrators are persons who use crude oil as fuel.
Abdallah Ghourab, executive director of the Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation, said such incidents are common since oil pipelines often run through terrain which is difficult to monitor.
He added that all petroleum companies have security guards patrolling their production lines. This particular line serves five different petroleum companies, he added.
Ghourab also downplayed the significance of the thefts saying that they are not carried out by organized criminal groups, but rather by individuals without access to technology.
He further said that the amount of oil lost to the leak does not exceed a barrel or two at the most, and added that production has not been affected.
Mahmoud Nazeem, first deputy minister of petroleum, said oil pipelines in far-off desert areas are protected by the Bedouins in the area and security guards hired by the petroleum companies.
Translated from the Arabic Edition.
