The oil that spilled with high velocity in the Bukuma waters and forests of Degema local council area of Rivers State has led to gas fire disaster but the National Incident Commander has rallied partners and stakeholders to fight back.
Emeka Woke, an engineer and Director-General of the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), along with a specialized team of NOSDRA personnel and collaborative stakeholders, conducted a comprehensive site assessment in the Zion City, Agum, a community in the Bukuma Island.
According to a statement, the initiative seeks to evaluate the ramifications of the recent hydrocarbon spill and formulate an effective response strategy to mitigate the environmental impact.
The incident, reported on January 1, 2025, involved a gas leak from the NNPC OML Well 8, operated by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL).
Following the incident report, NOSDRA, as the principal agency overseeing oil spill incidents in Nigeria, convened a Joint Investigation Visit (JIV) to the site on January 6, 2025. The JIV aimed to ascertain the causal factors surrounding the incident and recommend necessary regulatory compliance measures to mitigate its impact.
The investigation team included key stakeholders such as NNPCL, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), the Rivers State Ministry of Environment, and community representatives.
During the investigation, it was learnt, the team identified several environmental concerns, including illegal hoses connected to the well-head, gas emissions, and signs of stress in the mangrove vegetation in the immediate vicinity.
The team directed NNPCL to undertake immediate actions, including the repair of the affected well-head and the implementation of continuous surveillance of operational areas to prevent future incidents.
On January 17, Woke led a team of NOSDRA specialists along the New Calabar River to further evaluate the extent of the spill and engage with community members. They consulted personnel from TANTITA Security Services, responsible for safeguarding the oil infrastructure, who provided insights into the incident’s onset prior to the subsequent fire outbreak. An official from TANTITA indicated that the spill was likely instigated by the actions of suspected pipeline vandals attempting to illegally tap into the well-head.
Read also: NOSDRA moves in Bonny oil spill that has spread to Oyorokoto oceanic town
Following the JIV, NNPCL mobilized contractors for well intervention and oil spill recovery operations at the incident location.
Fire:
On January 12, things took a new twist as NOSDRA said it received reports of a fire outbreak at the well-head, attributed to excessive gas release. “The agency is actively coordinating with relevant stakeholders and the operator to extinguish the fire and mitigate its effects on the community by facilitating the provision of relief materials.”
Woke emphasized NOSDRA’s commitment to thoroughly analyzing the collected data and collaborating with pertinent agencies to bring the situation under control. The agency is dedicated to ensuring the welfare of the affected communities and will work with relevant stakeholders to provide necessary relief.
Incident report:
Following the incident report, the investigation team said they observed the following amongst other environmental concerns – two
vegetation in the illegal hoses connected to the Well-head, gas emission, and the mangrove vegetation in the immediate vicinity of the Well-head appeared stressed. The investigation team further directed NNPCL for immediate action, the repair of the affected Well-head, and continuous surveillance of its operational areas to prevent re-occurrences.
BusinessDay gathered that thereafter, the operator mobilized Vendors for Well intervention and oil spill recovery to the incident location accordingly. On the 12th of January, 2025, however, the Agency received the report of a fire eruption from the Well-head, reportedly due to excessive gas release.
The Agency said it is actively monitoring the ongoing response to the fire incident and continuously evaluating the situation to ensure the appropriate response actions are deployed
accordingly. It has promised to provide further details as events unfold.
Interview:
In an interview right beside the raging gas fire, Woke, the DG of NOSDRA, said as head of the Agency responsible for oil spill detection and response, he came there to see for himself the report he got from their Port Harcourt office about the incident in Bukuma community. “We have seen the situation and we are in touch with the operators. We have seen the level of pollution and devastation here, and it is for us to arrest the fire and rescue the community from further losses. We have been in touch with NNPCL (the operators) and we are certain that the situation is under control.”
On cause of the spill and fire, the DG said: “From the preliminary investigation of the JIV, it is a case of suspected pipeline vandalism because we have seen evidence from the preliminary reports of two hoses connected to the manifold being used for illegal activities.
“That is enough evidence that some people were doing some illegal business, but we are still on investigation, after which we would issue a final report.”
He stepped away from any comment that would evaluate the performance of the surveillance company (Tanttita), saying; “My primary concern is not to provide security but to detect where there is a spill and respond accordingly. We are not responsible for security.”
On hopes of putting out the fire, he said: “Yes, of course. As the National Incident Commander, it is my responsibility to mobilize all the relevant stakeholders as we leave here. We are going to have a meeting of all the stakeholders and I can assure you that all hands would be on deck to fast track the process of putting off the fire and after that, we begin the process of clean up and remediation of the environment, as well as finding a way of compensation for the community effected. As you can see, their means of livelihood have been affected.”
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