Shebah Exploration and Production Company Ltd (SEPCOL) has announced a fire incident that engulfed its oil and gas offshore facility in the Niger Delta.
The Floating Production Storage and Offloading unit (FPSO) of the company exploded in Escravos, in the Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State on Wednesday afternoon, causing apprehension in the area.
The explosion rocked the pipeline crisscrossing the Ugbokodo community near the Warri refinery in the Okpe Local Government Area of the state.
A statement issued and signed by the Chief Executive Officer of the company, Ikemefuna Okafor, said ten crew members were on board the vessel at the time of the incident adding that the cause of the explosion is currently being investigated.
“The Management of Shebah Exploration and Production Company Ltd (SEPCOL) in RECEIVERSHIP hereby announces the unfortunate incident of a fire that engulfed our offshore facility, the FPSO Trinity Spirit located at the Ukpokiti Terminal, following an explosion during the early hours of Wednesday, February 2, 2022.
“At this time, there are no reported fatalities, but we can confirm that there were ten crewmen onboard the vessel before the incident, and we are prioritizing investigations concerning their safety and security.
“We appreciate the assistance provided us by the Clean Nigeria Associates, the Chevron team operating in the nearby Escravos facility, and our community stakeholders as well as fishermen, who have been of tremendous assistance since the incident happened.
“We have duly notified all relevant authorities, and we appeal to the members of the public to stay away from the area while our Crisis Management Team continue to monitor the situation and update all stakeholders with new information as the investigation evolves”, the statement added.
