Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — The Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria has charged oil industry regulators to carryout routine inspection of oil facilities in the country including well heads, manifolds, and other relevant facilities of oil companies to ascertain their operational worthiness.
The group said this in reaction to the increasing cases oil spills in the Niger Delta region occasioned by operational failure from faulty, rusty, obsolete and delapidated oil facilities.
Recall that the region in recent time has experienced devastating cases of oil spillages ranging from Aiteo’s OML29 well blowout which lasted over a month, Aunty Julie platfrom oil spills and the OML59‘s Ango filed oil spills both operated by Conoil.
Project Officer and Head Niger Delta Resource Centre, ERA, Mr Alagoa Morris, specifically called on the National Oil Spills Detection and Response Agency and other regulators to sanction any oil firm who failed to replace all rusty and obsolete equipment to prevent incessant oil or gas leaks.
Morris advocated that all facilities certified unworthy of operation should be stopped from functioning until replaced.
“Oil industry regulators should embark on routine tour of all wellheads, manifolds and other relevant facilities of oil companies, with a view to ascertain whether the facilities have operational worthiness and recommend accordingly.
“All facilities certified unworthy of operation should be stopped from functioning until replaced, such as Conoil’s ruptured rusty elbow causing oil spill; including rusty Wellheads being managed.
“Conoil should replace all rusty and obsolete equipment to prevent incessant oil/gas leaks in the Angofield environment. Failure to do so should attract sanctions from the regulators.
“Conoil should ensure proper cleanup of the impacted environment, stop using chemical dispersants and compensate victims of their operations without any delays; while the people of Koluama are urged to maintain the peace prevailing in the environment.”
ERA also advocated that oil Industry operators should promptly inform regulators even before putting off spill incidents or while in the process, in order to enable regulators, find their way to the site of interest where possible.
“Before containing or stopping any spill incident; operators should capture the prevailing situation in picture and video form for regulators to also examine and be on the same page. This should be the responsibility of operators or facility owners.”
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