ODAHIEKWU OGUNDE, Yenagoa
The November 5, 2021 oil spill reported at an oil well within Oil Mining Lease (OML) 29 belonging to Aiteo Eastern Exploration and Exploration Company has yet to abate after about 10 days, the National Oil Spills Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) has stated.
FirstNews gathered that officials of NOSDRA deployed to ascertain the cause and estimated volumes of crude discharge were not able to conduct the investigation as the leak was still discharging.
The Director-General of NOSDRA, Mr Idris Musa, in a situation development on Sunday, said that the spill was yet to be plugged as of Sunday.
He added that the intensity of the leak was hampering investigations at the incident site.
On whether the spillage has been capped, he 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 impact on the environment.”
Musa said that due to the inability of the indigenous operators of OML 29, Aiteo Eastern Exploration and Exploration Company to stop the leak, it was definite that international help would be required 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 operator’s control and II requiring intervention across the industry and III of international magnitude, Musa said the incident could not be classified as a tier II spill.
He stated: “It is not yet tier II, but we are already prepared in anticipation. So, CNA can start work today,” Musa said.
Aiteo had in a statement last Wednesday, said it was yet to ascertain the volume of the crude that had been discharged into the surrounding 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 experts to contain the incident.