Oil spill: Aiteo shuts Nembe OML 29 field, Bayelsa

Nathan Tamarapreye, Yenagoa

Aiteo Eastern Exploration and Production Company (AEEPCO), operator of the Oil Mining Lease (OML) 29 on Wednesday announced that it shut down the Nembe Oilfields following a leak to prevent further damage to the environment.

AEEPCO in a statement issued by its spokesman, Mr Ndianabasi Mathew noted that the field was shut down as a precautionary measure to safeguard the environment from further degradation after the spill was reported.

“AEEPCO. operator of the OML 29, confirms it has detected an oil leak at its Nembe swamp facility in OML 29, Nembe Kingdom, Bayelsa State. The leak was reported on Monday, June 17, 2024, during routine operations.

“AEEPCO’s Oil Spill and Emergency Response Team was immediately activated and all production from OML 29 shut down. This is a precautionary measure while mobilizing additional resources to contain the spill.

“The cause of the spill is currently undetermined. However, we are proactively engaging with stakeholders to mitigate the immediate effects,” the statement read in part.

The National Oil Spills Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) has scheduled a Joint Investigative Visit (JIV) to ascertain the cause of the spill, the estimated volume of crude and the impact.

Mr Solomon Ukponevi, Head of NOSDRA’s field Office in Yenagoa, had said on Wednesday that the spill agency was investigating the incident.

The statement quoted AEEPCO’s Group Managing Director, Victor Okoronkwo, as saying: “During our operations on Monday, June 17, 2024, the subject leak was detected. A Joint Investigative Visit (JIV) with stakeholders has been initiated to determine the cause of this incident.

“While we regret the production losses to the Joint Venture and the nation and the potential environmental impact, our current priority is to expedite an efficient spill management process in line with regulatory standards and collaborate with all stakeholders to restore production and mitigate associated risks.

“Our joint venture partners and the relevant regulators; The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) have been notified of the incident”.