*Identifies four leak points
*As shut-down clocks 29 days
OpeOluwani Akintayo
27 May 2018, Sweetcrude, Lagos — Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria, SPDC, has confirmed a fresh oil spill at the export pipeline, Trans Focardos as reported by SweetcrudeReports on May 16, adding that the leaks have been “contained”.
In a statement by a spokesperson, four leak points were identified to have occurred at its 24” Trans Ramos Pipeline in the swamps of Western Niger Delta on April 24, leading to an immediate shut down of production, saying it had deployed containment booms and mobilised its oil spill response teams to clean the sites.
These measures, which are according to SPDC’s standard operating procedures, successfully stopped and contained the spill.
“In line with Nigerian oil and gas industry regulations, a Joint Investigation Visit (JIV) team comprising security and regulatory agencies as well as community representatives and SPDC personnel was constituted and deployed in the sites,” the statement added.
Although the JIV team had confirmed four leak points on the pipeline and identified the impacted areas in Odimodi community, however, the cause of the leaks is yet to be identified.
SPDC said it is working on further site preparation and mobilisation of specialised equipment to the swamps for safe excavation of the pipeline for inspection.
Findings by SweetcrudeReports showed that the leak had occurred on May 7, clocking 29 days since it was shut down for inspection and repairs.
