Environmentalists seek joint investigation of fire incident at Conoil fields in Bayelsa

Environmental Rights Action/Friends of Earth, Nigeria (ERA/FoEN) has called for a Joint Investigative Visit (JIV) to ascertain the cause of a fire incident at Conoil’s field at Koluama, Bayelsa on May 26.

The fire which started on Saturday morning engulfed an oil rig owned by Depthwize Nigeria an oil services firm working at the oil block operated by Conoil. .

The 232 feet rig named Majestic  located at the Atlantic coastline, Koluama community in Southern Ijaw  Local Government Area of Bayelsa has capacity for 120 men.

 ERA/FoEN, made the call in its field report on the fire incident signed by Mr Alagoa Morris, Head of Field Operations at the Non Government Organisation (NGO).

ERA/FoEN urged the oil firm, oil industry regulators, especially and Bayelsa State Ministry of Environment to ensure prompt visit to the site with representatives of Koluama community in line with operating guidelines.

It advised against delays as the impact of the incident could be washed off by tidal and ocean currents and will adversely affect the impact assessment of the incident.

The NGO recalled that a delayed JIV during the KS Endeavor Explosion in 2012 at Chevron’s North Apoi  field in the area resulted to unacceptable results and therefore advised that the deay should be avoided.

“The Regulators should make the JIV report public, as these frequent incidents need not be swept under the carpet.

“Conoil should be investigated, as to whether the company and those they hire are actually qualified and operating according to standards required in the industry,”  the report read in part.

The group called on the regulators not relent in wielding the big stick if the operator was found wanting as the oil firm had recorded three accidents in the past eight months.

“Conoil should be fined or sanctioned if it was proven that there was no one responsible to take care of fire related incidents on the rig when the incident happened

“There should be regulatory sanction, if there were no fire extinguishers and other fire fighting materials on board taking cognisance that that the company has recorded  three accidents in Bayelsa  in the past eight month.

“Two of these incidents are fire incidents, and it raises concerns on the safety preparedness of the company, it is not a good record to have by any standards,” ERA/FoEN stated. . 

It would be recalled that the youths of Akassa, in Sanganna area of Bayelsa, had put out a fire which occurred on Conoil’s platform near Brass LGA, Bayelsa on Sept. 29, 2017, another  gas leak occurred at the oilfirm’s  field in Koluamai February 2018.

Also in 2012 , an explosion of a  rig K.S Endeavour at an oilfield  operated by Chevron occurred near the North Apoi in koluama. 

Officials of Conoil have declined comments on the incidents and refused to respond to requests for reactions