Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — Massive oil and gas leaks from a high-pressure wellhead on OML66 operated by the NNPC Exploration and Production Limited, NEPL, a Subsidiary of the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited, have displaced fishermen in Okpoama, Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
NEPL which was formally known as the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company, NPDC, is rebranded as the exploration and production arm of NNPC Ltd. in line with the Petroleum Industry Act, PIA 2021.
Gas discharged from the idle wellhead, Kurogbagba I, within OML66, according to the locals, became noticeable more than a week ago, and was yet to stop, making it the third oil and gas leak in the area in six months.
Leader of the fishermen in Bendick Kiri, Mr. Monday Okon, recalled that in May 2023 an abandoned oil wellhead had leakages and was contained before it blew out again on Oct 20, 2023, spilling crude massively into the environment.
Okon said fishers in the area have been rendered jobless, while many have fled the area for safety concerns, as they could no longer use fire to dry their fish due to the pressure of gas and crude oil leaking from the wellhead.
He explained that residents of the area who are predominantly fishermen and fisherwomen, fled due to the toxic smell of the gaseous discharge, which he said was exposing the people to danger.
He said, “We are afraid the place will be engulfed in flames because we are very close to the oil well. If we catch fish we can’t dry them due to the risk of fire. I am still here because the community asked me to stay nearby and keep an eye on the settlement to avoid hoodlums coming to loot our valuables.
“Our fishing gears and accessories as well as processed fish and other properties are precious to us, that is why I am keeping a tab from a safe distance.”
Also, a community leader in the area and former Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists in Bayelsa State, Mr. Tarinyo Akono, who visited the incident site described the blow as intense and extremely dangerous for the people and the environment.
“I was there in May this year when there was a blowout I was there and now this sad occurrence. The livelihood of the people has been abruptly hampered. I have called on the NEPL to do something about these wells, to no avail.
“The sound from the intense pressure forcing the oil and gas out of the wellhead polluting the environs can be heard from over a kilometre.”
