Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — An oil spill from a manifold facility operated by the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited, SPDC, has rocked Rukpokwu community in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State.
Confirming the development, the Rivers State Commissioner of Energy and Natural Resources, Dr. Peter Medee, said the affected pipeline has been depressurised.
Medee assured that the cause of the spill would be established after a JIV.
“Our own-the-spot assessment reveals that the 8” line manifold pipeline belongs to SPDC and so, we are very concerned about the incident.
“As we speak, a JIV team has been on ground to have an on the spot investigation of the incident.
“The facility has been depressurised, reason being that the location is a residential area, so it will be unfair to allow production to go on.
“We are advising the residents to avoid anything that will take them to the area, as it has been marked and demarcated. We are appealing to Rivers people to stay away until efforts are made to contain the spill as well as clean the area for normal business to continue.”
