The Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria has indicted the Nigerian Agip Oil Company over a major crude oil spill of over 500 barrels.
The group lamented the incident which it said devastated the environment of Ondewari and Okpotuwari communities of Southern Ijaw Local Government Area, Bayelsa State.
ERA/FoEN in a field report released on Saturday, following a visit to the site on Saturday 9 April 2016, said that the current oil spill occurred on March 5 from a spot on Agip’s Tebidaba- Ogboinbiri 14’’ flow line in the area which was clamped in December 2015 following an oil spill that was allegedly caused by equipment failure.
The report signed by the group’s Head of Operations in Bayelsa, Mr. Alagoa Morris, noted that the oil spill happened after a Joint Investigation Visit had been concluded on the December 2015 incident due to alleged “Agip’s operational negligence”.
“That spill of December 2015 was as a result of equipment failure and occurred on the pipeline as indicated on the JIV report and photo evidence. The volume of spilt crude was put at three barrels,” it stated.
According ERA, the recent oil spill from the same spot happened because Agip allegedly re-opened the flow line with pressure from the Ogboinbiri flowstation.
It said, “This is a first-party spill caused by the owner of the facility. Community folks alleged that this happened while repairs were on-going.
“However, it could also have resulted when the pipe was cut open during repairs and some of the volume of crude oil on the pipeline rushed out.
“And, after Agip noticed the error committed, the company quickly dug some big pits in the environment to contain the spilt crude oil. When the community knew about the development and confronted Agip, the company official first tried to deny until some officials of the regulatory agencies waded in.”
ERA further reported that currently, the spilt crude in the environment was being mopped and transferred into big tanks and pumped into a barge stationed near the Ossiama Creek.
“An estimated volume of 500 barrels was so spilt due to an act of negligence,” it alleged.
