Nigerian militants sabotage oil facilities - September 18, 2008

Nigerian militants attacked two oil installations in the heaviest fighting in the Niger Delta in two years, security sources said yesterday.

The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), responsible for attacks that have cut a fifth of the Opec member's output since early 2006, attacked a Royal Dutch Shell oil pipeline and Chevron-operated oilfield.

The oil market, focusing on the impact of the credit crisis on the global economy, has largely ignored the escalation in violence in the world's eighth largest oil exporter. Prices yesterday traded at a seven-month low near $92 a barrel.

Shell confirmed one of its pipelines was sabotaged late on Monday at Bakana in Rivers state, while Chevron said its idle Idama flow station was also attacked early yesterday morning.