Spills Response Agency, NOSDRA Confirms Well Leakage At Eroto’s OML 18

The National Oil Spills Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) has confirmed an oil wellhead leak at Oil Mining Lease (OML) 18, operated by an indigenous operator, Eroton Exploration and Production Limited.

OML 18, which produces and export crude through the 97 kilometer Nembe Creek Trunkline (NCTL) is located near the corridors of the export line in Rivers.

Residents said the oil facility had been discharging oil and gas into the coastal environment for the past one week.

Mr Idris Musa, Director-General of NOSDRA confirmed the oil, gas leak incident on Saturday.

Musa said that following the receipt of the incident report, efforts were being made to plug the leaking oil well.

“The company reported and oil recovery is underway. Efforts are on to stop the source which is a wellhead,” Musa said.

Also, a notification report by Mr Odianosen Masade, Corporate Communications Lead at Eroton indicates that the incident occurred on June 15, while a site assessment visit was carried out on June 23.

The oil firm said that preliminary findings indicate that the incident was due to vandalism.

“This is to bring to your attention the loss of control of Cawthorne Channel well 15 resulting tr

oil spill.

CAWC015L/S is a dual string well which started production in May 1977. The short

string was shut-in in 1988 due to high gas oil ratio (HGOR), while the long string watered out and well quit in 1991.

“The spill started on the 15th of June 2022 and immediately an emergency response

procedure was activated.

“The operations team quickly visited the site for preliminary

investigation and discovered that the wellhead was vandalised.

“It was also observed that the wellhead platform was removed, and this will compound the difficulties in gaining access to

wellhead.

“Our team of Well Engineers are working with contractors and evaluating the safest

procedure that will be required to bring thr well under control.

“We have activated our oll spill emergency response plan and booms have been deployed for

mitigation in the area as a preliminary containment procedure.

“Notifications have also been sent out to all the relevant Regulators (NOSDRA, NUPRC & RSMENV).

“A Joint Investigation:

Visit (JIV) by all stakeholders is planned for this week although this is subject to readiness

and availability of the key stakeholders.

“Our operations team is monitoring the site and has commenced oil recovery and are

prepared to respond to any escalation,” Eroton stated.

A similar incident reported on Nov 5, 2021 at nearby OML 29 operated by Aiteo Eastern Exploration and Production discharged more than 8,000 barrels of crude oil for some 32 days before the leak was plugged.

Eroton and Aiteo acquired their respective assets following the 2015 divestment by Shell Petroleum Development Company from some of its onshore assets.

The two Nigerian companies assumed operator status in the joint venture arrangement with the Nigerian Petroleum Company.