Gunmen Seize U.S.-Run Oil Platform

(Nigeria) Frankly, I think we are going to see more attacks against oil facilities, in general.

From the Scotsman.com:

MORE than 100 armed militants stormed a United States-operated oil production platform in Nigeria and forced it to shut down yesterday in response to the arrest of an ethnic militia leader on treason charges.

Armed with assault rifles, the gang invaded the Idama platform operated by Chevron in the southern Niger Delta, escalating a simmering political crisis in the world's eighth-largest oil exporter.

"Eight boats, each carrying 15 armed people, occupied the Idama flow station. Six government security forces had their weapons taken from them," a source close to Chevron said. "Apparently the militants are now heading for more stations. The situation can only get worse."

The conflict is centered around the Nigerian government headed by President Olusegun Obasanjo and the rebel leader of the Niger Delta People's Volunteer Force (NDPVF), Mujahid Dokubo-Asari. The two are warring over the distribution of oil revenue and it's not an insignificant conflict. Last year, the NDPVF sent oil prices on the world market to record levels after declaring war on foreign oil companies. That spat was resolved with promises of more money to the poor. Subsequent lack of follow-through has led to the latest actions by Mr. Asari.

The impact on the price of gasoline at the pump will be a function of how many production facilities Asari's group decides to attack.