Newsie Events:-
A fire has reportedly broke out at the Akaso 4 Wellhead operated by NNPC 18 Operating Limited in Rivers State, as confirmed by the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) through a statement from spokesperson Olaide Shonola on Saturday.
The incident, which spread along the nearby riverbank, occurred on Friday at approximately 11:12 pm, according to News360 Nigeria.
“NNPC 18 Operating Limited has deployed a rapid response emergency team to secure the well, manage the situation, and contain the spill to prevent further environmental contamination. The company is also set to begin oil recovery immediately,” Shonola stated.
She mentioned that a Naval Houseboat has been stationed in the area and community surveillance has been established to monitor the situation.
Although the cause of the fire is not yet known, Shonola indicated that a joint investigation with relevant stakeholders is planned to determine the cause and the extent of the impact. She noted that the Akaso 4 Well has been out of operation for a considerable time.
Meanwhile, Shonola revealed that the fire at NNPC’s Alakiri Well 9T, which started on February 23, 2024, is still burning.
“The contractor handling the situation, Kenyon International West Africa Company, is encountering difficulties in extinguishing the fire. They are now planning to use the total oxygen extraction method instead of the heat extraction method currently in use. The equipment fabrication is complete, and the contractor is awaiting mobilisation from the well owners. Contractor personnel are on-site monitoring the incident,” she emphasized.
A meeting with NNPC 18 Operating Limited’s management is scheduled to review the safety and integrity of its operations.
“Further updates on the incident will be provided as soon as they are available,” Shonola concluded.
NEWSIE EVENTS MEDIA TEAM Follow Us On Twitter: @NewsieEvents, Instagram: newsieevents, Facebook: Newsie Events (Subscribe to our YouTube Page: Newsie Eventsng. LinkedIn Newsie Events