Lagos — The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPC, says an explosion has hit the Escravos-Lagos gas pipeline, disrupting operations and prompting an emergency response.
The explosion happened on December 10 near the Tebijor, Okpele and Ikpopo communities in Delta State, late on Thursday, according to the NNPC.
The company said initial checks showed a pressure drop consistent with a loss of containment on the pipeline.
There are no details yet on the on the extent of the damage or any casualties.
The Escravos–Lagos pipeline, with capacity to pump 2.2 billion cubic feet per day, is a critical link in Nigeria’s gas network, feeding power plants and industrial users in the southwest.
Disruptions, according to Reuters, often raise concerns over electricity supply in Africa’s most populous country, which relies heavily on gas-fired generation.
While the cause of the incident remains unclear, NNPC said investigations were under way.
Emergency response teams have been deployed to the site of the explosion, the NNPC stated, adding that it is working with authorities and local leaders to coordinate mitigation efforts.
