Oil leak: JIV commends Aiteo over quick intervention

By Bassey Williams, Yenagoa

The Aiteo Eastern Exploration and Production Company (AEECO), operator of the NNPC/Aiteo joint venture has been commended by the Joint  Investigative Visit (JIV) team for its quick intervention and report on an oil leak from a non-producing well head on its Santa Barbara South field well 01 in Nembe Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

In a press statement made available to journalists in Yenagoa through the Company’s media contact, Mr. Ndiana Matthew, the leak which occurred on the 5th of November, 2021 was extremely in the high magnitude order.

According to the release, the cause of the leakage and the quantity could not be ascertained as at the time of discovery even though the containment booms were deployed and recovery commenced immediately around the well head.

It added that necessary Oil Spill Notification Report has been promptly communicated to the National  Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), Nigerian Upstream Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), and the National Petroleum Investment Services (NPIS) as required by regulation.

Meanwhile, a Joint Investigative Visit (JIV) to the site was held by relevant stakeholders including the community though the visit was inconclusive due to the high pressure emanating from the well head.

Meanwhile, Aiteo Exploration had mobilized  a full intervention team with well control specialists and equipment both Locally and Internationally to arrest the leak.

The report has it that investigations on the cause of the leakage will progress after the well has been shut down. Preliminary investigations showed that the leakage must have been due to the activities of oil theft or sabotage.