By Nathan Nwakamma
The National Oil Spills Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) on Tuesday confirmed that it received a report of a fire incident at two oil wells operated by Eroton Exploration and Production Limited (EEPL).
The Director-General of NOSDRA, Mr Idris Musa, in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), said that the incidents occured at Akaso Wells 14 and 4T Wellheads, Rivers on Monday.
Musa explained that following the notification of the incident to the agency, officials of the spills agency alongside the oil firm’s Emergency Response Team (ERT) immediately mobilised to the site.
“The company has mobilised a vendor which is expected to arrive the incident location today, October 4, 2022 to extinguish the raging fire from the Wells; the agency will supervise the activity accordingly.
“An illegal boat which was suspected to be engaged in oil theft was observed at the location. The boat has been completely burnt but the fire on the boat has been extinguished.
“The two wells are however still on fire until the vendor arrives to extinguish it,” Musa stated
The director-general said that a situation room was created by the company for effective communication with all relevant stakeholders.
According to him, NOSDRA has subsequently directed the company to give a two-hourly update on the incident. (NAN)
