The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, NUPRC, the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency, NOSDRA) as well as the Batels State Ministry of Environment have conducted a joint inspection and remediation visit to sites of oil spill in Ogoda/Brass local government area of Bayelsa State.
The site assesment is sequel to the outcry by an Environmental Rights group alleging that a leaking pipeline belonging to the Nigerian Agip Oil Company [NAOC], was spewing toxic substances into the surrounding environment.
The group, Environmental Rights Action and Friends of the Earth Nigeria ERA/FoEN, had escalated an alarm by Fantuo and Egenkiri communities, that the spill was pollutinge their water bodies.
However, in reaction to the calls by ERA/FoEN asking it to replace the Riser 15a section of the 21’’ pipeline in the area, the Nigerian Agip Oil Company [NAOC] informed that the leakage has since been contained and the site currently under reparation.
NAOC in a statement sent to DAILY POST by its Manager, Government and Institutional Relations, Folu Olapade said it has deployed measures to clean and contain the spread of the oil spill, including placement of river booms.
The statement read, “With respect to the event reported on 3rd July 2023, an oil spill occurred in Nembe Local Government Area of Bayelsa State along the 24’’ belonging to NEPL/NAOC/OOL Joint Venture, operated by NAOC.
“The regulatory agencies (Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, NUPRC, and National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency, NOSDRA) were immediately notified while a Joint Inspection Visit (JIV) together with the regulatory agencies, the representatives of the Bayelsa State Ministry of Environment and the host community was carried out.
“NAOC immediately deployed measures to clean and contain the spread of the oil, including placement of river booms. The leakage is contained by the existing cofferdam and is under reparation.
^NAOC is strongly committed to asset integrity as well as environmental protection and always intervenes to remediate spills, be them operational or due to third parties interferences”.
