OMEN
06-03-2006, 12:22 AM
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Rebels have targeted oil firms
Six Britons have been kidnapped on an offshore oil rig in Nigeria.
The oil workers were abducted from a rig off the south coast of the oil-rich African country.
Two other foreigners, an American and a Canadian, were also taken hostage in the raid on the Bulford Dolphin rig, operated by Aberdeen-based Dolphin Drilling for Nigerian oil company Peak Petroleum.
The kidnappers now want to negotiate with the companies who contracted the Scottish firm, a spokeswoman for Dolphin said.
Fred Olsen Energy ASA, the Norwegian owner of the oil rig, said drilling had stopped while Nigerian and other authorities worked to resolve the situation.
In a statement on its website, the company added contact had been made with the kidnapped workers.
"Contact is established with the abducted personnel," the statement said.
"The group holding them is seeking negotiations with local representatives of Peak Petroleum.
"Relatives of the abducted personnel have been contacted and informed of the situation.
"The remaining crew is safe on board the rig and is making contact with their relatives directly from the rig."
A group calling itself the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta has carried out a series of attacks on pipelines and oil plants. It has also kidnapped foreign workers in the past.
A Foreign and Commonwealth Office spokeswoman said: "These types of situations are not unusual in Nigeria, and we take them very seriously.
SkyNews
Rebels have targeted oil firms
Six Britons have been kidnapped on an offshore oil rig in Nigeria.
The oil workers were abducted from a rig off the south coast of the oil-rich African country.
Two other foreigners, an American and a Canadian, were also taken hostage in the raid on the Bulford Dolphin rig, operated by Aberdeen-based Dolphin Drilling for Nigerian oil company Peak Petroleum.
The kidnappers now want to negotiate with the companies who contracted the Scottish firm, a spokeswoman for Dolphin said.
Fred Olsen Energy ASA, the Norwegian owner of the oil rig, said drilling had stopped while Nigerian and other authorities worked to resolve the situation.
In a statement on its website, the company added contact had been made with the kidnapped workers.
"Contact is established with the abducted personnel," the statement said.
"The group holding them is seeking negotiations with local representatives of Peak Petroleum.
"Relatives of the abducted personnel have been contacted and informed of the situation.
"The remaining crew is safe on board the rig and is making contact with their relatives directly from the rig."
A group calling itself the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta has carried out a series of attacks on pipelines and oil plants. It has also kidnapped foreign workers in the past.
A Foreign and Commonwealth Office spokeswoman said: "These types of situations are not unusual in Nigeria, and we take them very seriously.
SkyNews