Aiteo Eastern Exploration and Production Ltd on Friday said it is intensifying efforts to stop the ongoing Nov 5 leak from its operations at Nembe in Bayelsa.
The assurance is contained in an update statement signed
by Mr Victor Okoronkwo, Group Managing Director of the indigenous firm made
available in Yenagoa.
The assurance is sequel to Wednesday’s visit by Minister
of State for Petroleum, Chief Timipre Sylva to the incident site to convey the
concerns of the Federal Government on the pollution.
Aiteo said that foreign technical well control experts
were already on the incident site while specialized equipment to plug the
leaking well were arriving the spill site within Oil Mining Lease (OML) 29.
“All
relevant personnel and experts, local and international, are now on location.
“The
marine spread carrying the pumps, chemicals, cranes, and firefighting equipment
are 100% mobilized and have set sail to location.
“Two
units of 1000 Metric Tones capacity Ramp
barge (vessel) containing simulation equipment for the well kill also sailed
today.
“Simultaneously,
concurrent activities including spotting and hook up of hoses are ongoing on
the barges to minimize clean up downtime.
“Loading
of additional equipment being mobilised from Snake Island underway and is
expected to arrive staging area in Santa Barbra by 12:00hrs on 26 November
2021,” Aiteo stated.
According
to the statement, additional relief materials including mosquito nets, hygiene
and sanitary kits, disinfectants, food materials, are being mobilized to the
immediate communities impacted by the spill.
Aiteo
officials are closely monitoring all activities related to the affected
communities, including feeding, lighting, hygiene, drinking water and medical
requirements with the help of local associations.
The
statement added that Aiteo Health Safety and Environment teams are monitoring the quality of air every
6 hours to ascertain the livability of the areas adjoining the incident site.
Meanwhile
residents at Odioma in neighbouring Brass Local Government Area in Bayelsa,
report that crude from the site has hit the Atlantic coastline.
Mr
Iniruo Wills, an environmentalist who informed our correspondent of the further
spread of crude urged the Bayelsa government to rise to the occasion and assist the
impacted victims.
Wills,
a former Commissioner of Environment in Bayelsa said the spilled crude has
spread from the Santa Barbra River, Nembe creeks into the Atlantic ocean
forming sludge at the coastline.
“The
Bayelsa State Oil and Environment Commision led by Archbishop John Sentamu has
a moral and public obligation to the people of Bayelsa state.
“It
is not a choice anymore, not only speak up but to act now on this totally
avoidable catastrophe and the present status of the assignment it started in earnest almost three years ago,”
Wills said.
The
Bayelsa government on Wednesday set up a
seven man committee to visit the spill site for an on the spot assessment of
the impact of the spill on victims.
However,
when contacted for a reaction on the reported further spread of crude, Mr
Mathew Ndianabasi, Spokesman for Aiteo said that the claimed sludge was not
from its operations.
“The
Santa Barbra fiel is not in the Atlantic ocean, the location is onshore and
there have been so many spills from other sources , those heaps of sludge have
been there before the incident we have,” Ndianabasi said
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