Fresh oil spill hits Bayelsa community

By Samuel Oyadongha

Yenagoa—A fresh oil spill has reportedly hit Ikarama community in Okordia clan, Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

Though the immediate cause of the spill could not be ascertained, it was gathered that it occurred at a Nigerian Agip Oil Company, NAOC, facility conveying crude oil to Rumuekpe axis of Rivers State.

The spill, it was learnt, is currently spewing crude oil from three points into the environment; two spots in gaseous form and one bubbling in liquid form, including the Taylor Creek Wellhead (A).

Environmental group, ERA/FoEN field monitors, led by Mr. Alaba Morris, who were at the site, said: “At the spill point close to the wellhead along the pipeline, the  point where the crude oil is escaping from the oil bearing pipeline is very visible, as the spot is open and the pipe is visible.

“Due to the fact that the last spot was submerged with crude oil, it was not possible to see the pipe from which the crude oil was spewing. There were visible signs that the spill sprayed high into the air before Agip lowered the pressure; trees, grasses and the immediate environment of the spill sites clearly showed this fact as indicated by the crude oil which soiled plants and the surroundungs.

“The spilled crude oil was noticed on very high trees. At the third spill point, it was observed that the crude oil was streaming into the environment through a furrow. If it rains heavilly, the crude oil might spread into Taylor Creek. Crude oil sheen was also observed on the big borrowed pit about 15 metres away from the leaking oil wellhead. The surrounding of the Taylor Creek Wellhead A, which is leaking, has much crude oil deposits and if not cleaned up might be washed into the borrowed pit, and that is not good, environmentally speaking.”

It called on the oil company to take urgent steps to contain the spill.