BY Bunmi Aduloju
The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) says a fire incident has occurred at the Akaso 4 wellhead, operated by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Eighteen Operating Limited, in the Niger Delta region.
According to a statement issued on August 3 by Olaide Shonola, NUPRC’s spokesperson, the fire started on August 2, 2024, at 11:12 pm.
The NUPRC noted that the fire has spread to the adjacent riverbank, raising concerns about environmental contamination.
“NNPC 18 Operating Limited has confirmed that a rapid response emergency team has been deployed to secure the well, address the incident and isolate the affected area using spill containment materials,” the statement reads.
“This is to prevent further spread and contamination of the environment. They are also planning to start the oil recovery process immediately.”
The NUPRC said the company had deployed a naval houseboat within the incident area and established community surveillance to evaluate the situation.
The NUPRC said the cause of the incident is unknown, adding that a joint investigation with relevant stakeholders is being planned to ascertain the cause and the area of impact.
However, the commission noted that the wellhead has been out of operation for a significant period of time.
The NUPRC said the fire at the company’s Alakiri Well 9T, which started on February 23, 2024, is still raging.
The agency said Kenyon International West Africa Company, the contractor engaged to deal with the situation, is facing some difficulties in putting out the fire.
“They are now planning to deploy the total oxygen extraction method instead of the heat extraction method currently being deployed. The equipment fabrication is 100 per cent complete and the contractor is awaiting mobilisation from the well owners. Contractor personnel are on-site monitoring the incident,” the statement reads.
“A meeting with the management of NNPC 18 Operating Limited is planned to review the safety and integrity of its operations.”
The commission said it would provide further updates on the incident as soon as they are available.
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