Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — Nigeria’s gas production has been cut short by over 5million Standard Cubic Meters per day, following an explosion on the 24” Ogboinbiri/OB-OB gas pipeline operated by the Nigerian Agip Oil Company in Azikoro community, Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
The incident, according to locals, occurred on Tuesday with a loud sound of explosion in the area.
The 24” Ogboinbiri/OB-OB gas pipeline was vandalised thrice in April 2022, with this incident will make the fourth attack on the same pipeline in nine months.
Confirming the development, the Director-General of the National Oil Spills Detection and Response Agency, Dr Idris Musa, said the gas line which evacuates an average of 5MMSCM/d has been reported to the agency.
Musa said that following the notification, a team of officials comprising the Secretary of Azikoro community, the Commissioner of Mineral Resources, Bayelsa, and representatives of NOSDRA, has visited the incident site.
The NOSDRA boss explained that an explosion was also reported to the Agency by the Azikoro community at 11.38 am and subsequently, NOAC, the operator of the facility was promptly notified of the incident.
“Due to high pressure, NAOC was directed by NOSDRA to depressurize the facility preparatory for a Joint Investigation Visit which will follow immediately to ascertain the cause and extent of the incident.
“NAOC is already at the incident site, with the Agency among other stakeholders working to contain the explosion and secure the incident site preparatory to JIV and other remedial measures,” Musa said.
He also assured that NOSDRA would conduct the investigations in a transparent manner amd pledged that its findings would be made public in due course.
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