OML 29 Oil Spill: ERA/FoEN visits spill site in Nembe, demands remediation

THE Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN) has urged Aiteo Eastern Exploration and Production Company Limited to immediately end the oil spill caused by leaks on its pipeline at Worikuma-kiri oil field in Nembe Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

Environmental field monitors, Alabo Nengi James, the Vice President 2 of the Ijaw National Congress (INC), and the Project Officer/Head of Niger Delta Resource Centre at ERA/FoEN, Mr Alagoa Morris, who led some journalists to the impacted site of the oil spill in OML 29 Well I, in Santa Barbara River, decried the level of devastation by spill on farmlands and water sources.

Others who accompanied the team to the spill site included the Vice President of Nembe Youth Federation, Comrade Nimibofa Collins Degi and Alabo Woriku Ivory, who is the Amanyanabo of Worikuma-kiri, the community where the spill occurred.

It was gathered that a few days ago, one Precious Longlife, a four-year old girl from Sand-Sand Village, a settlement of about three-kilometres away from the wellhead, was said to have died as a result of methane gas poisoning from the said wellhead which had contaminated the prevailing atmospheric oxygen around those settlements.

Since its occurrence on November 1, Aiteo had allegedly not done much in clamping the ruptured spot as crude oil and gas have continued to spew.

Alagoa Morris also requested that Aiteo should take immediate steps by mobilising to site and clamp the ruptured spot on its pipeline and clean up the impacted environment.

Alabo Nengi James in the same vein, urged Aiteo to take necessary steps to stop the spill and remediate the environment as quickly as possible.

Speaking to Nigerian Tribune, community people also narrated their ordeal since the occurrence of the spill, alleging that the spill had destroyed aquatic life and the entire ecosystem which has made fishing in the river difficult for them.

According to a report, Aiteo Eastern Exploration and Production Company Limited. was sourcing experts from Germany to clamp the ruptured spots as they don’t have the capability to do so.

Nigerian Tribune also gathered that a boom has already been set by Aiteo to contain the further spread of crude into the environment but it seems the pressure is much and the boom cannot do the work properly.

However, Aiteo has responded with a donation of relief materials to the affected communities in Nembe Local Government Area of state.

Aiteo in a statement by its media relations officer, Ndiana Matthew, which was made available to Nigerian Tribune, explained that the well where the leak occurred had been dormant since its acquisition in 2015.

The statement read in part: “This well, non-producing since Aiteo’s acquisition in 2015, was predominantly dormant, having been securely isolated since then. As hitherto stated, an accurate cause of the leak has not been ascertained but both priority and attention have been focused on containing the consequences of this most undesirable and unforeseen incident.

“Immediately upon noticing the leak, Aiteo notified all relevant regulatory agencies and thereafter mobilised containment resources to limit impact on the environment. As required, Aiteo promptly called for a Joint Inspection Visit (JIV). Due to the high-pressure effusion, the JIV team could not reach the location and that inspection was aborted.

“Since then, Aiteo has activated an elaborate and extensive spill containment response in the internationally prescribed manner. Though spills of this nature are not uncommon to the oil and gas industry. Well killing assessment site visit has been carried out to evaluate the assets and earmark the resources required to bring the effusion under control. The required apparatus, including heavy duty and specialist equipment are presently being mobilised, locally and internationally, on a fast-track basis, to bring the well under control.

“Aiteo senior personnel have also visited the affected communities and made available, for the use of the communities, relief materials aimed at ameliorating the direct consequences of the incident.”

“The communities visited include Opu-Nembe Kingdom, where the Aiteo delegation was received by His Royal Majesty, Dr. Biobelemoye Josiah Ogbodo VIII, his council of chiefs and all sections of the society.”

It will be recalled that the Bayelsa State government said it was not satisfied with the inability of Aiteo Eastern Exploration and Production Company to plug ongoing leaks at its field in Nembe, two weeks after the incident.

Government reactions was contained in a statement issued by Commissioner for Information, Orientation and Strategy issued in Yenagoa, Mt Ayibaina Duba, 14 days after the November 5 incident.

The statement quoted Governor Douye Diri as expressing displeasure with Aiteo for its failure to curtail the oil spill at Santa Barbra Well 1, at Oil Mining Lease (OML) 29 two weeks after the leak started.