Aiteo Resumes Production After Oil Leak At OML 29, Nembe

Aiteo Eastern Exploration and Production Company (AEEPCO), operator of the NNPC / Aiteo Joint Venture on OML 29 has resumed production after an oil leak at its Nembe swamp facility in OML 29 in Bayelsa State.
Aiteo’s spokesman, Matthew Ndiana, said the programme of resumption of production would go on while continuing with other statutory spill management protocols.
Ndiana said the spill had been noticed on Monday, June 17 during routine operations. “AEEPCO’s Oil Spill and Emergency Response Team was immediately activated and all production from OML 29 shut down.
“This is a precautionary measure, while mobilizing additional resources to contain the spill. The cause of the spill is currently undetermined. However, we are proactively engaging with stakeholders to mitigate the immediate effects,” he said.
AEEPCO’s Group Managing Director, Victor Okoronkwo, said, “During our operations on Monday, June 17, 2024, the subject leak was detected. A Joint Investigative Visit (JIV) with stakeholders has been initiated to determine the cause of this incident. While we regret the production losses to the Joint Venture and the nation and the potential environmental impact, our current priority is to expedite an efficient spill management process in line with regulatory standards and collaborate with all stakeholders to restore production and mitigate associated risks.
“Our joint venture partners and the relevant regulators; The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) have been notified of the incident.”
But last Saturday Okoronkwo said, “After a comprehensive evaluation of our operations and infrastructure at the Nembe Swamp Field, we are delighted to confirm the resumption of production activities.”
He added that Aiteo’s team has worked diligently to address the issues caused by the rcent incident and implemented enhanced safety protocols to prevent future occurrences.
He said the company has engaged with regulatory bodies, local communities and stakeholders to ensure transparency and accountability throughout the process.
The oil spill, which occurred after a blowout occurred at the Oil and Gas Facility operated by Aiteo Exploration and Production Limited, came three years after the last major oil spill in the area. It occurred at the loading point at Nembe Creek when the force of the tide moved a stationary vessel to hit a loading vessel. It spread as far as Okpoama in Brass Local Government Area of the state.
George Kumo, chairman, Oil and Gas Committee, Nembe Kingdom, estimated that over 5,000 barrels of crude was spilled into the waters describing the spill as one of the worst in recent times.
He stated that the strength of the current helped it spread quickly covering an area of about 100 square kilometers. Eyewitness accounts at Nembe Creek and Mammy-waterkiri, two communities bordering the loading point, attributed the spill to the incident between the two vessels to those disconnected from the loading vessel which started pumping crude oil into the water at such great force and it took some time before oil workers could shutdown the point.
The concentration of crude oil on the water from a point before Nembe Creek Trunkline up to the loading point it was gathered has already extended past Kpongbokiri community, which is close to the boundary with Brass Local Government Area.
At the loading point, the company stationed two floating barriers known as boom to stem further spread of the crude oil into the stream as Crude Oil was seen floating on the mangrove swamp surrounding the immediate communities of Nembe Creek and Mammy-waterkiri.
A Joint Investigation Visit to determine the real cause, volume and extent of the spill was scheduled for the