Egi Gas Leakage: Total Plans Containment Well

Total Exploration and Production Nigeria, says it plans to drill a relief well to end gas leakage into the environment near its Obite plant in Rivers State.

The oil firm shut down the Obite Gas Plant following a technical fault during a drilling campaign at the oil firm’s oil block OML 58.

The incident was reportedly noticed on March 20 in Ogba/Ndoni/Egbema Local Government Area, Rivers State.

According to a statement in Eket last Friday, efforts are underway to stop the gas flow.

The statement signed by Total’s External Communication Manager, Charles Ebereonwu, said”Operations are being actively prepared on the affected well to stop the gas flow quickly and permanently.

“Equipment is also being installed to recover the gas above ground and thereby limit its subsurface flow.

“A drilling rig is being brought in to drill a relief well and a second rig has been ordered.”

The oil firm said that members of the affected communities were actively involved in the surveillance of the affected area.

Meanwhile, Rivers State Governor, Rt Hon Chibuke Amaechi has charged Total Exploration and Production Nigeria Limited (Total E&P) to stop the gas leakage at Obite in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of the state within the shortest possible time.

Governor Amaechi gave this charge last Friday during a courtesy visit on the paramount ruler of Egi Kingdom, His Royal Highness, Eze Kingdom Elenwa at his palace at Obite.

Represented by his Deputy Governor, Engr Tele Ikuru, Governor Amaechi, assured the people of Egi kingdom that government would ensure that the incident is properly contained, noting that though Total E&P was making frantic efforts at resolving the situation, it still needs to do more. He regretted that the environment has been polluted and the people’s means of livelihood adversely affected.

“I have listened to the explanations of the company; I have gone round the affected sites and seen what they are doing to contain the incident but I have told them to do more,” he said, adding that “I have also told them to provide relief materials and compensation to the affected communities as they won’t be able to farm on their land henceforth,” According to him, “so far the company has taken full responsibility for the incident”.

He noted that his priority now was for Total E&P to stop the leakage first before embarking on the issues of remediation and compensations, disclosing “ we are working with the state House of Assembly and the Ministry of Environment to ensure that the situation is speedily resolved, he said, and expressed delight over ‘the robust relationship and cordiality between the company and the affected community.

In his response, the paramount ruler of Egi Kingdom, Eze Kingdom Elenwa, expressed happiness on the visit of the governor, saying that the move has assured him that government was doing something to take care of the situation. He  thank Governor Amaechi for the intervention, regretting, however that the incident took place

In a related development, the management of Total Exploration and Production (Total E&P) has said that it had set up a safety perimeter at the Ibewa gas production site in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers.

Mr Charles Ebereonwu, the Manager, External Communication of the company, said in a statement in Port Harcourt, that tests on water wells and air quality in the area had been done.

He said that a technical incident occurred at the site, which was in an uninhabited area near the onshore Obite gas production facilities on the oil mining lease 58 in the state.