Hundreds of local women in Nigeria's Delta region have ended the 12-day occupation of oil pipeline stations belonging to the American company, ChevronTexaco.

The women had accused the company of exploiting the people of the region and not distributing enough of the wealth it obtains from oil.

Chevron-Texaco said it had reached an agreement with the women, but it declined to give details.

The protesters say the company has agreed to create jobs for 10 people from nearby villages, upgrade 20 workers to full-time positions, and create 30 new contract positions.

They also say that the company had agreed to set up a micro-credit scheme to help village women start businesses of their own, and provide schools, hospitals, water and electricity systems for nearby communities.

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Earlier this week ChevronTexaco said it would not be able to meet its production obligations in Nigeria after the protests and an unrelated fire at one of its plants. It has now resumed crude oil production.

This is the latest in a number of occupations of oil facilities by the local community

The women occupied at least four oil-pumping stations that feed the Escravos plant in southern Nigeria.

These most recent protests followed a similar confrontation at the multinational's Escravos export terminal last week, which normally produces as much as 400,000 barrels of oil a day.

The women started their protest last Tuesday at a pumping station in Abiteye that feeds the Escravos facility, just as another group of women protesters ended another 10-day long occupation after reaching a deal with Chevron.

After negotiations with those protesters - who had trapped hundreds of workers at the plant - the company agreed to build schools, clinics, and electricity and water systems to end the siege.