Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, has taken steps to avert an impending industrial action at Agbami Offshore Oilfield operated by Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL).

Lumumba Okugbawa, General Secretary of Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), said this in a telephone conversation with the News Agency of Nigeria on Wednesday in Yenagoa.

Mr Okugbawa added that Mr Sylva had scheduled a meeting with the union’s leadership for Thursday (today) to find a lasting solution to the industrial disharmony.

PENGASSAN had threatened to down tools and shut down the deep offshore facility over Chevron’s moves to cut its workforce by 25 per cent, amongst other issues.

In a statement on October 2, 2020, Chevron had announced plans to lay off at least 600 of its workforce, a development that irked the in-house branch of PENGASSAN to protest.

Esimaje Brikinn, CNL’s General Manager Policy, Government and Public Affairs, had in a response statement noted that the 25 per cent job cut was to reposition the oil firm for greater efficiency and competitiveness.

Mr Okugbawa said, “The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources has scheduled a meeting on April 15.

“We are not on strike yet, the Minister of Petroleum, Timipri Sylva, has scheduled a meeting with us for negotiations.

“It is after our meeting with him that we shall agree on the decision for the industrial action.

“By the end of work on Thursday, the outcome of our meeting will be known.”

Agbami field, which has a capacity of up to 250,000 barrels per day (bpd), currently produces some 140,000 bpd, according to industry data.

(NAN)