Vandals responsible for fire incident at Buguma wellhead, says NNPC

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited says the fire incident at Buguma wellhead 008 was caused by the activities of pipeline vandals attempting to compromise the Christmas tree and steal crude oil.

In a statement on Monday, Olufemi Soneye, chief corporate communications officer of the NNPC, said the facility is operated by its subsidiary, the NNPC Eighteen Operating Ltd (NEOL).

Soneye said the incident, which caused significant damage to the well’s back pressure valve, reflects a disturbing pattern of repeated attacks on wellheads in the zone.

“Since March 2023, crude oil theft on this asset has been persistent, with criminals now resorting to extreme measures, including the use of dynamite to destroy installations and illegally access hydrocarbons,” the statement reads.

“NNPC Ltd remains committed to combating these fires and mitigating the financial losses associated with these criminal activities, which place a significant burden on the nation’s economy.”

Soneye said the company is collaborating with relevant security agencies to end vandalism.

The NNPC spokesperson also reaffirmed the company’s commitment to supporting communities affected by the destructive activities, assuring that necessary relief efforts to mitigate the impact on those affected will be provided.

On January 15, a massive oil spill, from a wellhead at oil mining lease (OML) 15, reportedly triggered a fire in Buguma, Asari-Toru local government area (LGA) of Rivers.

According to a report by Punch, residents in the community said the spill affected Asari-Toru and neighbouring Degema LGA of the state.