Minister of Oil: aggression forces looted 130 million barrels of Yemeni oil, more than 9 billion dollars since 2018

Minister of Oil and Minerals Ahmed Daris revealed the quantities of oil looted by the forces of aggression, mercenaries and some complicit oil companies during the last period.

Minister Daris said in a statement to Al-Masirah that Yemen owns 12 productive sectors, and the ministry has details of the production of each sector and how much it has produced since 2018 until today.

He said that the amount looted from 2018 until July 2022 amounted to 130 million and 41 thousand and 500 barrels of oil. He added that what was looted since 2018 only is estimated at nine billion and 490 million and 639 thousand and 415 dollars.

Daris indicated that the quantities are smuggled through Al-Nashima and Al-Daba and carried on old ships, and there are millions of barrels looted without being registered.

He stressed that what is being looted is huge amounts that are completely sufficient for the Yemeni people, and the people should know that their wealth is being looted while they are struggling to find a salary.

He stated that there are other staggering revenues other than these sales figures, and they are collected from gas sales and the Marib and Aden refineries.

The minister wondered about this huge amount, estimated at more than 9 billion and 490 million dollars, where did it go and to what special accounts it was received in the National Bank of Saudi Arabia, while the people suffered greatly.

The Minister of Oil called on the complicit oil companies participating in the looting process to abide by the agreements concluded with the Ministry of Oil in the capital, Sana’a, warning them against the consequences of persisting in looting, which will expose them to the legal liability.

“There are illegal agreements and manipulation with foreign companies, including Schlumberger and Total, that manipulate buying and selling operations in the oil sector,” he added.

He stated that the ministry sent notices to companies that they must abide by the international agreements they signed, and that violations will not be recognized and will be dealt with firmly.

Daris pointed out that international law prohibits any country from interfering in any of the affairs of producing and investing oil or wealth in any other country, and Sana’a position is consistent with this trend.

He explained that the agreements stipulate the designation of the Central Bank in Sana’a as the only entity authorized to supply oil and gas revenues, and any violation will be held accountable and bear all responsibility.

He stressed that the companies must supply the amounts to the entity authorized to receive the price of the oil, and the supply of any amount can only be recognized to the Central Bank in Sana’a, and there will be no tolerance for any violation.

He pointed out that the companies that agreed with the aggression bear full responsibility for their involvement in the looting of Yemen’s wealth and will not be far from accountability.

Minister Daris reiterated the Salvational Government’s readiness to fully disburse salaries from oil and gas if all oil and gas revenues were supplied to Sana’a.