UPDATE 1-Nigerian rebels say attack Chevron oil pipeline

ABUJA, July 10 (Reuters) - Nigeria's most prominent militant group said on Friday it attacked an oil pipeline recently repaired by U.S. oil major Chevron in the Niger Delta. The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) threatened oil companies that if it tries to repair damaged pipelines and flow stations that rebels will attack them again. "Our fighters revisited the recently repaired Chevron pipeline linking Alero creek through Abiteye to the Chevron export terminal in Delta state and destroyed it again," MEND said in a statement. It was not possible to independently verify the statement. Chevron officials were not immediately available for comment. The U.S. oil firm shut down 100,000 barrels per day of production from its swamp operations in Delta state following an attack on its pipelines in late May. Royal Dutch Shell and Italian oil firm Agip have also been hit by militant attacks, halting a total of 300,000 bpd of the OPEC member's output. Supply disruptions in the world's eighth largest oil exporter have helped limit the decline in global oil prices, which have tumbled due to concerns about the global economic recovery. (Reporting by Randy Fabi) Keywords: NIGERIA DELTA/CHEVRON ([e-mail]; Abuja Newsroom + 234 9 461 3214, Reuters Messaging: randolph.fabi.thomsonreuters.com) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2009. All rights reserved.

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