NOSDRA Confirms Underwater Oil Leak From Shell Pipeline In Bayelsa

The National Oil Spills Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) has said that it has received a report of an oil spill incident at Obololi, Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa.
The leak from the 16 inch Nun River-Kolo Creek pipeline has been discharging huge volumes of crude oil into River Nun and impacting adjoining areas.
A statement signed by Mr. Chukwuemeka Woke, Director-General of NOSDRA made available on Thursday in Yenagoa to reporters stated that incident was being investigated.
Woke explained that the agency got a report of the incident on Monday and convened a Joint Investigative Visit (JIV) to the incident site to ascertain the cause of the spill.
“The JIV was led by NOSDRA and the investigating team comprised relevant stakeholders including SPDC (the operator), Bayelsa Ministry of Environment and the community to establish the indices around the incident.
“The JIV is to recommend necessary regulatory compliance actions to mitigate the spill’s impact. The cause of the spill is unknown because the suspected leak point/pipeline is submerged in water, implying that the JIV is inconclusive. SPDC is preparing a coffer dam to get access to the spill point,” NOSDRA stated.
NOSDRA said that containment of the spill area has been complete while temporary storage tanks are in transit as recovery of spilled crude will commence on Friday.
It said it was monitoring the ongoing response and continuously evaluating the situation to ensure that appropriate response actions were deployed.
Chief Target Segibo, Chairman of Southern Ijaw Local Government, pledged to provide alternative water source to the communities following the pollution of the Nun River which the people depend.
Officials of SPDC were yet to respond to the incident.