FIRE BREAKS OUT AT NNPC OIL WELL

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Fire has been reported on Akaso 4 Wellhead operated by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company 18 Operating Limited in Rivers State.

The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission confirmed the incident in a statement by its spokesperson, Olaide Shonola, on Saturday.

The incident, which has extended along the adjacent riverbank is reported to have occurred on Friday at about 11:12 pm.

“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 to prevent further spread and contamination of the environment. They are also planning to start the oil recovery process immediately,” Shonola said.

She added that the company had deployed a Naval Houseboat within the incident area and established community surveillance to monitor the situation.

While stating that the cause of the incident is not yet known, Shonola disclosed that a joint investigation with relevant stakeholders was being planned to determine the cause and the area of impact.

She noted that the Akaso Well 4 has been out of operation for a significant period.

Meanwhile, the NUPRC spokesperson revealed that the fire at the NNPC’s Alakiri Well 9T, which started on February 23, 2024, is still raging.

“The contractor engaged in dealing with the situation, Kenyon International West Africa Company, is facing some challenges 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,” she stressed.

It was learnt that a meeting with the management of NNPC 18 Operating Limited is planned to review the safety and integrity of its operations.

“We will provide further updates on the incident as soon as they are available,” she submitted.