FIRE GUTS NNPC WELL 04-08-24
By Sadiq Aminu A fire incident has occured on Akaso 4 Wellhead operated by NNPC 18 Operating Limited.
The incident which has extended along the adjacent riverbank happened on the on August 2, 2024 at about 11:12 pm.
A statement by the Head of Public Affairs and Corporate Communication of the Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, Mrs Olaide Shonola says the 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.
“They are also planning to start the oil recovery process immediately.
The company has deployed a Naval Houseboat within the incident area and established community surveillance to monitor the situation.” She said.
According to the statement, The cause of the incident is not yet known.
Meanwhile, a joint investigation with relevant stakeholders is being planned to determine the cause and the area of impact.
The NUPRC informed that the Akaso Well 4 has been out of operation for a significant period of time.
It also stated that the fire at the company’s Alakiri Well 9T, which started on February 23, 2024, is still raging.
“The contractor engaged to deal with the situation, Kenyon International West Africa Company, is facing some challenges in putting out the fire.”
“They are now planning to deploy the total oxygen extraction method instead of the heat extraction method currently being deployed.”
“The equipment fabrication is 100% complete and the contractor is awaiting mobilisation from the well owners. Contractor personnel are on-site monitoring the incident.”
A meeting with the management of NNPC 18 Operating Limited is planned to review the safety and integrity of its operations.