The federal government has directed AITEO Eastern Exploration and Production Company Ltd. (AEEPCo) to indefinitely suspend the oilfield operations in Bayelsa state.
This follows the oil spill caused by a blown wellhead in the Santa Barbara South field, Opu Nembe Community area of the state, on November 5.
A statement by the Federal Ministry of Enviroment said the directive comes with the need to carry out investigations into the cause of the spill.
The statement read in part, “The federal government has directed the exploration company, AITEO Eastern Exploration and Production Company Limited (AEEPCo), to halt operations in the area until a proper investigation is carried out. Also, adequate measures will as well put in place to ensure the safety of lives and property in the area,”
“It can be recalled that the spill occurred on November 5, 2021, in the form of a fountain within the proximity of Opu Nembe Community at Well 1, Well Head located at the Southern Field of Sant Barbara.”
“Upon receipt of the report of the incident, a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) comprising the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), was set up.
“Also, the state Ministry of Environment, Community representatives and Aiteo Eastern Exploration and Production Company was set up on November 6, 2021, to immediately address the situation.”
Meanwhile, the federal government also directed the minister of state for petroleum resources, Timipre Sylva, to visit the scene of the spillage and investigate the level of damage.
While responding to queries after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the state house on Wednesday, the minister said that the President had given a directive to the ministry to ascertain the level of damage done at the site.
“Mr President is personally very interested, and we have discussed it, and he said we should go there and come back and report to him because environmental degradation issues are things that we are not going to condone, but of course, we’ll work with the operators of OML 29 to ensure that this spillage is brought under control as quickly as possible,” he stated.
