At at 11:12 p.m. on Saturday, August 2, a fire broke out at the NNPC 18 Operating Limited-run Akaso 4 Wellhead in the Niger Delta. The blaze has extended along the adjacent riverbank, raising serious concerns about environmental contamination.
The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) confirmed the incident through a statement issued by Olaide Shonola, Head of Public Affairs and Corporate Communications.
"NNPC 18 Operating Limited has confirmed that a rapid response emergency team has been deployed to secure the well, address the incident, and isolate the affected area using spill containment materials to prevent further spread and contamination of the environment," Shonola stated.
The Akaso Well 4 had been out of operation for a long period before this incident. Despite this, the fire's impact has been severe, prompting immediate action from NNPC 18 Operating Limited. The company has also deployed a Naval Houseboat to the incident area and established community surveillance to monitor the situation closely.
In addition to the Akaso Well 4 fire, NNPC is grappling with another ongoing fire at its Alakiri Well 9T, which started on February 23, 2024. The contractor handling the Alakiri Well 9T fire, Kenyon International West Africa Company, is facing challenges and plans to deploy a new method to extinguish the flames.
A joint investigation with relevant stakeholders is being planned to determine the cause and impact of the Akaso Well 4 fire.
The NUPRC has assured that further updates will be provided as soon as they are available.
Comments