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Tag: Oil Spill

  • Senate intervenes after fire, oil spill in Rivers

    Senate intervenes after fire, oil spill in Rivers

    The Senate has launched an urgent intervention following a catastrophic fire outbreak and oil spillage from Manifold Well 8/BUG 008 in OML 18, located in Bukuma (Agum), Rivers.

    The incident has caused severe environmental damage, displaced families, and sparked health crises across affected communities.

    The intervention followed a motion sponsored by Sen. Ipalibo Banigo (PDP-Rivers) during Thursday’s plenary.

    The motion was titled ‘Urgent Need to Mitigate the Recent Fire Outbreak and Oil Spillage from Manifold Well 8/BUG 008 in OML 18, Bukuma (Agum), Rivers West Senatorial District.’”

    It urged the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) to immediately investigate the cause of the fire and spill.

    The Senate also called on the Ecological Project Management Committee (EPMC) to deploy the Intervention Fund, and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to address the ecological challenges in the affected areas.

    Banigo highlighted the disaster’s devastating impact, including pollution of rivers, destruction of farmlands, and contamination of aquatic life in Buguma, ASALGA, Ifoko, and Bukuma (Agum) in Degema Local Government Area.

    She noted that oil spills and fire outbreaks were recurring issues in the Niger Delta, often caused by safety lapses, sabotage, or weak enforcement of environmental laws.

    Banigo stressed that the oil spills have severe consequences, such as contamination of vital resources and health risks like respiratory and waterborne diseases, as well as long-term effects like cancer.

    She criticised the delayed response from oil companies and regulatory bodies, worsening the suffering of affected communities and eroding public trust.

    Sen. Isa Jibril (APC-Kogi) added that negligence from operators and compromised supervisory authorities were contributing factors to the ongoing issues.

    After a voice vote, all the motions were adopted by the senators, with Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau presiding over the plenary.

  • Nembe oil spill: NOSDRA says well still discharging crude

    Nembe oil spill: NOSDRA says well still discharging crude

    The National Oil Spills Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) on Sunday said that the Nov. 5 oil spill which occurred at an oil well within Oil Mining Lease (OML) 29 has yet to abate, 10 days on.

    It was gathered that NOSDRA officials who were deployed to ascertain the cause and estimated volume of crude discharged into the environment could not conduct the investigation whilst the leak was still on.

    In an update, Mr Idris Musa, Director-General of NOSDRA, told NAN that the leak has yet to be plugged as of Sunday, adding that the intensity of the leak was hampering investigations at the incident site.

    On whether the leak has been capped, the NOSDRA boss said: “Not yet, the Clean Nigeria Associates (CNA), an alliance of all oil firms operating in the country, has been called to beef up oil recovery.

    “That effort is to reduce the ultimate risk and lessen the impact on the environment,” Musa said.

    He said that following the inability of the indigenous operator of OML 29, Aiteo Eastern Exploration and Exploration Company, to stop the leak it was definite that international help would be sought to block the leakage.

    On the category of the spill incident, which ranges from tier I, II and III, where I is leak within an operators control and II requiring intervention across the industry and III of international magnitude, Musa said the incident could not yet be classified as a tier II spill.

    “It is not yet tier II, but we are already prepared in anticipation.

    “CNA can start work today,” the NOSDRA Director-General said.

    Aiteo had, in a statement on Wednesday, said it has yet to ascertain the volume of the crude that had been discharged into the environment.

    The statement signed by the spokesman of the company, Mr Mathew Ndianabasi, also said the oil firm suspected sabotage as the cause of the spill.

    He said the company was mobilising local and international know-how to contain the incident.

  • Oil Spill: Agip shuts down Idu Well 11 in Bayelsa

    Oil Spill: Agip shuts down Idu Well 11 in Bayelsa

    The Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) on Wednesday confirmed an oil leak from its Idu oilfields at Egbebiri settlement within Biseni in Yenagoa Local Government Area in Bayelsa, resulting in its shutdown.

    The cause of the leakage, according to the Joint Investigative Visit (JIV) report on the incident was traced to equipment failure due to a rupture at the wellhead.

    In a response statement, Eni, parent company of NAOC, said the facility was shut down to prevent further damage to the environment.

    The statement made available by an Eni Spokesperson on behalf of the Italian Energy firm reads: “As soon as the incident was reported, we activated our oil spill response, shut in the well and notified government regulatory agencies.

    “The Joint Investigation Visit (JIV) was carried out on 09/05/2021, with participation of community representatives and the government regulatory agencies.

    “The event occurred within the Company’s well head location which is paved and walled round. There is no significant third party impact,” Eni stated.

    However, an environmental rights group, Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN) said that the incident which discharged crude and associated gas had severely polluted the environment.

    The Non-Governmental Organisation said that a visit to the spill site showed pictorial evidence of the crude spreading beyond NAOC’s right of way as nearby vegetation were withered as a result of the crude impact.

    According to a field report on the spill incident signed by Mr Alagoa Morris, Head of Field Operations at ERA/FoEN, the Idu fields was notorious for frequent spills caused by equipment failure.

    “The people of Egbebiri in Biseni kingdom have experienced several oil spills over the years. And all the oil spill incidents documented by the Environmental Rights Action/ Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN) in this community environment have occurred as a result of equipment failure and on Wellheads.

    “ERA/FoEN has had cause to visit the environment of Idu Well 5 and 11 located within the same place in the past and it has always been Idu Well 11 spewing crude oil into the environment.

    “Available records from ERA/FoEN indicate that there has been previous oil spills from this particular Idu Well 11 operated by Agip.

    “Before concluding this Field Report, ERA/FoEN confirmed that Joint Investigation Visit (JIV) was carried out on Sunday, 9th May, 2021.

    “This is why the official Spill Reference No 2021/LAR/028/058 is indicated in this report; sourced from the JIV report. Cause of spill was attributed to equipment failure,” ERA/FoEN stated.

    The report quoted a resident of the community simply identified as Georgie as saying that the spill incident of May 7 spilled oil from around 10 p.m till about 8 a.m the next day before the leak was stopped.

    According to ERA/FoEN, the residents said that the level of damage was enormous.

    “You can see the level of damage all over ,we don’t know what to do. But for now we are calling on relevant agencies to ensure that prompt action is taken so as to prevent the spill spreading to the water bodies in the environment. You can see all the trees are changing colours.

    “So, I am calling on Agip, the Federal and State Governments to come to our aid,” ERA/FoEN quoted a resident appealing.

  • Shell’s pipeline spills 213 barrels of crude into Bayelsa community

    Shell’s pipeline spills 213 barrels of crude into Bayelsa community

    The Okordia-Rumekpe 14-inch crude truckline operated by Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) has discharged some 213 barrels of crude oil into Ikarama community in Bayelsa.

    SPDC’s Media Relations Manager, Mr Bamidele Odugbesan, confirmed the leakage and said that probe into the incident had been concluded.

    A Joint Investigative Visit’s (JIV) report on the incident on Thursday confirmed that the incident occured on April 7, while the investigation was concluded on April 12.

    JIV is a statutory probe into the cause of any recorded spill incident involving the oil firm, regulators, host communities and state ministries of environment.

    The JIV report concluded that the spill was an operational mishap traced to equipment failure which impacted nearby palm trees and fish ponds.

    It recommended remediation of the site.

    The report indicated that an estimated 1.34 hectares of land was polluted by the leakage which followed a rupture on the pipeline.

    According to the report, out of the 213 barrels of SPDC’s bonny light crude stream leak, some 110 barrels are recoverable from the ongoing recovery exercise at the site, leaving an estimated spilled volume at 109.12 barrels.

    The JIV report, which anticipated that oil recovery would be concluded before the end of April, also recommended replacement of sections of the pipeline to restore its integrity.

  • Shell confirms oil spill from its facility in Bayelsa community

    Shell confirms oil spill from its facility in Bayelsa community

    The Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) has confirmed oil spill from its facility at Agbura-Otuokpoti area of Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital.

    The company’s Media Relations Manager, Bamidele Odugbesan, confirmed the incident in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Yenagoa on Friday.

    Odugbesan said the company got a report of the spill on March 31.

    “At about 8.30am on March 31, a community surveillance vendor reported a leak on the company’s Joint Venture pipeline at Nun River in Bayelsa.

    “Following the development, the facility was shut down and full isolation established at 09.45am.

    “The SPDC Oil Spill Response Team was mobilised to the spill site and was able to contain the spill to prevent further spread.

    “The Joint Investigation Visit team led by government regulator will determine the cause and impact of the spill,” Odugbesan said.

    He, however, said that there was an anonymous note found at the spill site, suggesting sabotage.

    Residents, who said the oil workers had yet to come to the site as at Friday, have resorted to scooping oil from water surface into drums.

    Daniel Ebitimi, who claimed that crude oil has curative effect on burns and skin diseases, said he collected some kegs, which he hoped to sell.

    The predominantly fishing and farming settlements regretted that the leakage discharged large volumes of crude oil into the River, resulting in pollution of the waters.

    Mr Collins Jackson, an environmentalist, said the spill was discovered in the early hours of Wednesday, when the people noticed large volumes of crude floating on the river.

    Jackson dismissed the company’s claim of prompt response and allegations of sabotage.

    He said he visited the site of the leakage with other natives but did not find any oil worker, while crude continued to discharge into the water.

    “The claim of an anonymous note suggesting sabotage is at best a fallacy because we visited the place immediately our people noticed oil on water and we did not see any note.

    “Why will SPDC jump into conclusion when the investigation has not been concluded?

    “The theory of sabotage is funny because the pipeline is corroded and has signs of loss of integrity due to age.

    “Also, the site is close to the security outpost so the possibility of a vandal gaining access is very slim,” Jackson said.

    He said the allegations of sabotage had led to a disagreement among the regulators, communities and state government officials on the joint investigation,” he said.

    Chief Don-Evarada Abednego frowned at the alleged insensitivity of the oil firm to the plight of the people in the affected communities.

    Abednego described the spill as “life threatening”, considering that the community lacked basic amenities, such as healthcare facility and portable water.

    He, therefore, urged SPDC to urgently provide emergency relief to the people, saying that drinking water from the river posed serious danger to the people’s health.

    Also, Alagos Morris, an Environmental Activist and Head of Field Operations with Environmental Rights Action, pointed out that the response personnel had yet to arrive at the site of the spill.

    He called on regulators to rise to the challenge and come up with measures to arrest the situation, in addition to immediate clean up exercise.

  • Oil spill: FG inaugurates N6bn water projects in Ogoni communities

    Oil spill: FG inaugurates N6bn water projects in Ogoni communities

    The Federal Government, on Monday, inaugurated the construction of six water projects worth N6 billion, in Ogoni communities in Rivers, as recommended by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP).

    The Minister of Environment, Dr. Mohammad Abubakar, said at the ceremony that the federal government was fully committed to actualising the UNEP recommendation that potable water should be provided to Ogoni communities, ravaged by decades-long oil spillage

    He said the projects being executed under phase one, consist of the construction of six water facilities in Ogoni communities at the cost of N6 billion.

    “The Federal Executive Council (FEC) on March 3, approved the award of the six water projects for the supply of potable water.

    “Though the project is coming late, but it is commendable as it ignites hope in the people of Ogoni that the long awaited potable water is here.

    “Aside the six water projects, very soon, we will also be rolling out additional eight water projects for the people of Ogoni, across the four local government areas,” he said.

    Abubakar, who said that the implementation of the UNEP Report was a promise made by President Buhari in 2016, assured that the President was passionate about the full implementation of the UNEP report.

    “Therefore, when I presented the water supply contract to President Buhari to sign, at the FEC meeting in March, he had no problem approving the contract.

    “Usually, politicians will talk but many of them do not walk the talk.

    “President Buhari is a politician who loves the people he is leading and has been walking the talk since 2016, when the Ogoni project was first inaugurated,” he said.

    The Minister said the six water projects would be sited at Bori, Khana Local Government Area (LGA) and Baraku, Bdere and Kdere water scheme in Gokana LGA.

    Other projects are the Tereb water scheme in Gokona LGA; Korokoro in Tai LGA and Aleto and Ibubu water scheme in Eleme local government area.

    He also announced the roll out of the Needs Assessment Fund for 5,000 indigent Ogonis, to be distributed across the four local government areas that make up Ogoniland.

    “This fund will help identify appropriate skills for the youth, women and men in Ogoniland for the provision of alternative livelihoods, which is also part of the UNEP Report.

    “Aside this, we have earlier awarded 57 lots with 16 remediated; six certified and closed out as remediation sites while the remaining are at various stages of progress.

    “Also, we have commenced the training of 400 Ogoni women in Africa Business at the Songhai Farm, in collaboration with the Rivers state government,” he said.

    In his address of welcome, Philip Shekwolo, the UNEP Coordinator overseeing the office of the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP), assured that the contractors would deliver the projects in record time.

    He further assured that the project would be built to its specifications, while funding for the project would be handled by the Board of Trustees, for transparency and accountability.

    “So, going by the commitment shown by the Federal Government, it is important to protect our oil facilities and allow the crude oil to remain inside the pipes and tanks,” he said.

    Also speaking, Mr Emmanuel Amadimisu, Director in charge of water supply, Rivers Ministry of Water Resources, described the project as the ‘state’s baby’ and commended the Federal Government for it.

  • Fishermen report oil spill at Chevron’s facility in Bayelsa coastline

    Fishermen report oil spill at Chevron’s facility in Bayelsa coastline

    Fishermen, operating on the coastline of the Atlantic Ocean near Bayelsa, have reported an oil leakage from the Funiwa oilfield operated by Chevron Nigeria (CNL).

    Some fishermen from Koluama in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa raised the alarm in a chat with newsmen on Sunday in Yenagoa.

    The fishermen, who operate on shallow waters near the ocean, said they noticed that crude was on the waters near the oil facility as helicopters were seen overflying the area.

    Tombra Ebitimi, a fisherman from the coastal settlement, told NAN that he observed the incident on Saturday night and subsequently reported the same to the community leadership.

    He said that apart from helicopters sighted around the area possibly for assessment, meaningful response efforts had yet to begin.

    “Some of us, who went on fishing, sailed into the oil-contaminated area near the Funiwa oilfield got our nets and fishing gear soaked with crude on Saturday.

    But we noticed some helicopters hovering around the facility by today,’’ he said.

    Ebitimi said it could be that community leaders have informed the company of the development, which made them deployed helicopters in the area.

    He appealed to the company not to apply toxic chemicals from the sky to dissolve the crude oil, saying, “those chemicals are unfriendly to fishes and marine life generally’’.

    He said that fishermen in the area had temporarily suspended fishing to avoid catching contaminated fishes that could jeopardise public health.

  • Oil spill again pollutes Okpoama communities in Bayelsa

    Oil spill again pollutes Okpoama communities in Bayelsa

    Another oil leak, the third in six months, has discharged a yet-to-be-ascertained volume of crude oil polluting the Okpoama community and its environs in Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa.

    The leak reportedly occurred on Oct. 28 on the 50-year-old Ogoda-Brass crude pipeline belonging to the Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) near the oil firm’s crude export terminal.

    Chief Inikio Sele-D, Chairman of Okpoama Kingdom Chiefs’ Council, had earlier said two oil leaks were reported on May 12 and on Oct 8.

    Mr Tarinyo Akono, former Chairman of the Bayelsa State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) who hails from Okpoama also said on Monday in Yenagoa that frequent spills from Agip’s facilities had wrought untold hardship on the fishing communities.

    He said the entire ecosystem had been devastated, creating hardship for those who rely on marine resources for their livelihoods.

    “This is the third leakage in six months and Agip has been crafty in its approach to sealing the leakages.

    “It is quite unfortunate that NAOC officials in Bayelsa told the parent company, ENI of Italy that a spillage that has lasted for 21 days and yet to be contained till now spilled only two barrels of crude oil,’’ Akono said.

    The Ex-NUJ Chairman said the latest leakage which was discovered on the Oct. 28 was worse than the previous two.

    Akono said the impacted communities would take steps to compel the company to compensate fishermen individually and not through community leaders.

    “What will be the fate of the women who survive from periwinkle and oyster? What will be the fate of the women who survive from the buttress roots of the mangrove trees from which they make fish drying cards,’’? he queried.

    Akono added that the frequent leakages might be as a result of the old age of the pipeline, which has brought its integrity to question.

    ENI issued a statement on the Oct. 8 spillage where it said that its response had been hampered by denial of access by host communities.

    “Preliminary findings show that the event is a minor spill of less than two barrels and containment measures have been deployed.

    “However, community disturbances linked to issues of land ownership involving multiple communities have been delaying our access to the area.

    “Regulators and authorities have been duly informed and we are continuing to engage the community to get access to the area,’’ it said in the statement.

    The oil firm has yet to respond to the latest leakage.

  • Bonga oil spill: Victims urge FG to prevail on Shell to pay $3.6bn fine

    Artisanal fishermen in the Niger Delta, affected by the Dec. 2011 Bonga oil spill, have urged the Federal Government to compel Shell to pay the $3.6 billion fine for the spill.

    Rev Samuel Ayadi, Coordinator, Niger Delta zone, Artisanal Fishermen Association of Nigeria, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Yenagoa on Tuesday.

    Justice Mojisola Olatoregun of a Lagos Federal High Court, on June 20, upheld the $3.6 billion fine imposed on Shell by the National Oil Spills Detection and Response Agency NOSDRA, dismissing Shell’s appeal.

    Ayadi, lamented that Shell Nigeria Production and Exploration Company (SNEPCO), had yet to comply with the court order, saying that the judgment was a lifeline to the fishermen.

    Following the Dec. 20, 2011 spill, NOSDRA in March 2015, imposed a $3.6 billion fine on Shell for discharging 40,000 barrels of crude into the Atlantic Ocean.

    The fine comprised $1.8 billion as compensation for the damage to the natural resources and consequential loss of income by the affected shoreline communities as well as a punitive damage of $1.8 billion.

    NAN recalls that the Chairman of NOSDRA board, Sen. Ayo Akinyerule, had urged SNEPCO to pay the fine to enable the agency to compensate the impacted fishermen and communities.

    .Ayadi said that the fishermen thrown out of business by the incident had patiently waited for the litigation processes to end.

    “The Bonga oil spill was a heavy blow to us artisanal fishermen. Ironically the spill from the oilfield named after the local fish specie, Bonga, was what led to the near extinction of the specie.

    “We can no longer see Bonga fish in our dishes because the spill wiped out generations of the specie.

    “The chemical dispersant spread to dissolve the leaked crude is very toxic to fish and other marine creatures.

    “We were directed by NOSDRA to pull out of fishing to avoid catching contaminated fish that would jeopardise public health.

    “The income loss is in addition to the damage done by the contamination of our fishing gear, outboard engines and nets.

    “Since the three months appeal window has lapsed, we call on President Muhammadu Buhari to prevail on SNEPCO to comply with the court judgment and pay the fine so that NOSDRA can compensate the victims.

    “We are counting on the fatherly disposition of President Buhari to prevail on Shell to comply with the court’s judgment so that we shall return to our traditional fishing occupation.

    “Our return to sea will also guarantee that we play our own part in ensuring food security and reducing our dependence on imported fish,” Ayadi said.

    Recall that on Dec. 20, 2011, during loading of crude at Bonga fields within OML 118 situated 120 kilometres off the Atlantic coastline, the export line ruptured and discharged crude into the sea.

    The export line, according to a joint investigation report by NOSDRA and SNEPCO spewed about 40,000 barrels (6.4 million litres) of crude oil into the sea.

     

  • FG set to commence clean-up of Ogoni oil spill – Minister

    The Minister of State for Environment, Alhaji Ibrahim Jibril, said on Monday that the Federal Government was set to commence the clean -up of oil spills in Ogoni land.
    Jibril told the News Agency of Nigeria on the sideline of the 2018 International Day for Preservation of Ozone Lay in Abuja that the exercise would begin before the end of this year.
    Recall that the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) had recommended initial release of one billion dollars to be used for the clean-up of oil spills for over a period of five years.
    The clean-up exercise, according to UNEP, will take 25-30 years to restore the environment.
    Much of the funding for the clean-up is expected to come from the oil companies.
    The minister said that out of 200 million dollars expected from oil companies, 177 million dollars had been raised for the operation.
    “For 2018, 200 million dollars is expected but so far the joint venture partners and NNPC had been able to raise 177 million dollars for the operation, which will commence soon.
    “Right now, the procurement process is at the very last stage and very soon, we should be able to go to Federal Executive Council meeting to get approval for the contract to be awarded.
    “We believe that we should be able to go to the field in the fourth quarter of this year to commence remediation exercise,’’ Jibril said.