Brazil's Oleo E Gas Gets $44 Mln Offer For Colombian Oil Rights
Oleo e Gas Participacoes SA, the bankrupt oil company controlled by Brazilian tycoon Eike Batista, received a $44 million offer for five oil exploration and production blocks in Colombia, the company said on Friday. The offer involves $30 million in cash and the assumption of $14 million in future exploration obligations in Colombia, Oleo e Gas said in a statement. It did not give the name of the investor or company making the offer. Oleo e Gas was formerly known as OGX Petroleo e Gas Participacoes SA. If approved by a bankruptcy judge, creditors and Oleo e Gas shareholders, the sale will help the Rio de Janeiro-based company pay for leases on offshore oil production ships and its share of investments in output in Brazil, the company said.
Royal Dutch/Shell Workers Held Hostage In Nigeria
It was reported that militant youths in Nigeria's Niger Delta are holding 12 Royal Dutch/Shell workers hostage, to press for compensation for an oil spill in their area. Shell officials in Lagos said they were not aware of the kidnapping, which the youths said was to forced the oil company pay $1.5 million compensation for a 1989 oil spillage. Sources said the oil workers, mainly Nigerians, were seized by youths from Arhavwarien community in Ugheli South Local Council in southern Delta State, on their way to effect repairs of a leaking pipeline in a neighboring village. Residents demanding a greater share of Niger Delta region's oil wealth frequently sabotage or kidnap oil workers to try to win payments from oil firms.
