The community leadership in Nembe, Bayelsa State, yesterday urged the oil and gas industry regulators to wield the big stick against Aiteo Exploration Ltd over alleged poor handling of an explosion within OML 29.
Our correspondent reports that an explosion occurred last Friday along the 97 kilometre Nembe Creek Trunk line, discharging unascertained volume of crude and gas into the environment.
Although Aiteo officials confirmed the incident on Saturday, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) insisted that there was no record of explosion in Nembe.
Spokesman of Nembe Chiefs Council ,Chief Nengi James-Eriworio, said that the NNPC was misled because Aiteo did not report the incident to Joint Venture partners as required by law.
James-Eriworio said that Nembe communities were shocked at the statement from NNPC and urged the corporation to sanction Aiteo for concealing the incident.
He said that the failure to report the incident had caused the entire oil industry an avoidable embarrassment.
“Nembe Chiefs Council calls on NNPC to sanction Aiteo Company for concealing a high level of leakage and a gas explosion at their facility at Nembe Creek.
“It is an offence by law for an Oil Producing Company not to report such incident to NOSDRA and other relevant agencies for verification and necessary action.
“As a Community (Kingdom), we will not take it kindly for exposing our indigenes to environmental and health danger.
“We will not hesitate to call for the revocation of Aiteolicence.
“What happened at Nembe Creek near Well Seven is unacceptable and seen as a gross abuse of environmental rules and regulations.
“We urge the National Oil Spills Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) and others to visit the site of the incident for confirmation and for the record,” James-Eriworio said.
Aiteo officials said that the resulting fire from the explosion which burned till Saturday, had been put out and no loss of life was recorded.
The incident on NCTL, with a capacity of conveying 150,000 barrels of crude daily to the Bonny oil export terminal, will adversely affect crude export, having been put out of use.
The Public Relations Manager of Aiteo, MrNdiana-Abasi Mathew, had confirmed the incident to the newsmen on Saturday.
“There is no official statement at the moment but I can gladly inform you that the fire has been contained and no lives were lost,” Mathew said.
Our correspondent reports that the oil export line was shut for emergency repairs, following a leak when the incident occurred and discharged residual crude and gas trapped in the pipeline.
Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) in 2015, divested its equity in OML 29 and transferred its interest in NCTL for $1.7 billion to Aiteo, an indigenous Oil and Gas Exploration and Production firm.
Community sources at Nembe have bemoaned negative impact of the explosion, saying that the incident led to both gas leakage and oil spill compelling them to flee.
An official of NOSDRA, Mr Francis Ume, said that that the agency was yet to be notified of the incident by the operator of the oilfield where the incident occurred.
Ume, who heads the Bayelsa Office of NOSDRA, said that plans had reached advanced stage to visit the site for assessment.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) says it has no record of pipeline explosion in Nembe, Bayelsa, as being reported in some quarters.
Mr Ndu Ughamadu, the Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division of the corporation disclosed this in an interview with newsmen in Abuja, on Saturday.
No fewer than 50 people were reported to be missing after a leaking oil pipeline exploded and caused stampede in Nembe Kingdom in Bayelsa, according to the spokesperson of the community’s council of chiefs, MrNengi James-Eriworii.
He said the blast which happened in the early hours last Friday caused massive oil spillage in the community.
“ It is not our pipeline, it is Aiteo that was mentioned, which ordinarily they are supposed to be on joint venture with NNPC.
“I have cross-checked with our downstream unit that manages our pipeline and they said that they didn’t have such records,” he said.
But, Aiteo Exploration Ltd, operator of the 97 kilometres Nembe Creek Trunk Line (NCTL), confirmed that there was an explosion at the creek which burned till Saturday.
Public Relations Manager of Aiteo, Mr Ndiana-Abasi Mathew, confirmed the incident to newsmen in a phone message on Saturday.
“There is no official statement at the moment but I can gladly inform you that the fire has been contained and no lives were lost,” Mathew said.
Spokesperson of the Nembe Chiefs Council, Chief Nengi James–Eriworio, also confirming the incident, said the explosion caused massive destruction of the area with air and water heavily polluted.
“People have deserted the area and the company has refused to respond in spite of series of emergency calls to report the incident to them
“As at early morning of Saturday, the fire is still raging. And with gas and crude leak flowing freely, you can then imagine the fate of our people.
“The poor response of Aiteo to this incident is not acceptable and questionable. The people are traumatised and their health put at risk,” James-Eriworio said.
According to him, oil leak from the line has covered the surface of the nearby river, making it unsafe for navigation and artisanal fishing vocation of the people.
James-Eriworio also appealed to the Federal Government and oil industry regulatory agencies to intervene and investigate and respond to salvage the people.
“We are concerned that Aiteo, despite the clandestine acquisition of the asset from SPDC without due consultation with the people, has continued to undermine the economic rights of the people.
“We are worried about the poor response and attitude of the company towards the host communities in Nembe.
“They have abused the rights of the people. We are ready to drag the company before the National Assembly and the Presidency,” James-Eriworio said.