Three Federal Government departments are working with the Rivers State Ministry of Environment to handle a gas leakage problem at the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company’s (NPDC) Well 6, in Sangama village, Bonny Local Government Area.
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited’s flagship upstream subsidiary, the NPDC, is engaged in oil exploration and production.
Gbenga Komolafe, Chief Executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, stated on Wednesday that the NUPRC, National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency, Rivers State Ministry of Environment, community representatives, and the Nigerian Police Force were all working to address the leak.
Komolafe, in a statement he signed, said, “The NUPRC has been notified of a gas leak incident on NPDC’s Well 6, in Sangama community, Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State.
“Efforts are being made alongside other relevant agencies to deal with the situation.
“The incident which was reportedly observed on September 3, 2022, at about 13:30 hours, was reported by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Exploration & Production Limited on September 9, 2022.”
Komolafe added, “A joint investigation visit was carried out on September 11, by a team from NUPRC, NOSDRA, Rivers State Ministry of Environment as well as community representatives with the NPF in attendance.”
The NUPRC boss stated that during the joint visit, the team observed a gas leak from one of the valves on the wellhead.
“A closer look revealed that the Anode valve on the well head had been tampered with. It was adjudged by the regulators to have been caused by third-party interference,” he stated.
He, however, stated that the community did not agree with the regulators and as a result, would not sign the joint investigation report despite the technical explanation by the team.
“This prompted the team to reconvene on September 15, 2022, when, after an extensive discussion, all stakeholders eventually signed the incident report,” Komolafe stated.
