This well, non-producing since Aiteo’s acquisition in 2015,
was predominantly dormant, having been securely isolated since then. As
hitherto stated, an accurate cause of the leak has not been ascertained as both
priority and attention has been focused on containing the consequences of this
most undesirable and unforeseen incident.
Immediately upon noticing the leak, Aiteo notified all
relevant regulatory agencies and thereafter mobilized containment resources to
limit impact on the environment. As required, Aiteo promptly called for a Joint
Inspection Visit (JIV). Due to the high-pressure effusion, the JIV team could
not reach the location and that inspection was aborted. Since then, Aiteo has
activated an elaborate and extensive spillage containment response in the
internationally prescribed manner. Though spills of this nature are not
uncommon to the oil and gas industry, their resolution requires expert skill
and equipment that are not routinely or readily available.
The typical process is to first kill the well and stop the
leak and then focus on the clean-up. Aside urgent possible technical responses
to contain the leak, Aiteo has sought, become involved with and is now in
active collaboration with Clean Nigeria Associates (CNA) that have since
mobilized to site, in addition to Aiteo internal resources to reinforce
containment and recovery efforts.
CNA is the industry non-profit umbrella body with expertise
and resource to contain spills of this nature. In the meantime however, the
area has been cordoned off and CNA is mobilizing additional resources to
strengthen the containment effort.
According to the statement sent and endorsed by Ndiana
Matthew of Aiteo saying Well killing assessment site visit has been carried out
to evaluate the assets and earmark the resources required to bring the effusion
under control. The required apparatus including heavy duty and specialist
equipment are presently being mobilized, locally and internationally, on a
fast-track basis, to bring the well under control.
For this purpose, Aiteo has on-boarded the involvement of
the renowned, Boots & Coots, arguably the leading well control company in
the world, working with a local resource. Upon this intervention and
conclusion, it is expected that the persistence of the leak alongside its
functional consequences will be abated and significantly diminished.
Aiteo senior personnel have also visited the affected
communities and made available, for the use of the communities, relief
materials aimed at ameliorating the direct consequences of the incident.
The communities visited include Opu-Nembe Kingdom, where the
Aiteo delegation was received by the King His Royal Majesty, Dr. Biobelemoye
Josiah Ogbodo VIII, his council of chiefs and all sections of the society. He
noted in his remarks that “…we are happy that Aiteo has initiated this visit to
support the community at this time and urge them to continue to work with us as
partners in progress on its corporate goals in the community.”
The Aiteo Group CEO Mr. Benedict Peters has extended his
assurances to the affected communities and, in his words, confirmed that “…we
are doing everything in our power to contain this spill and ameliorate the
situation as rapidly, safely and responsibly as possible. We have mobilized
best-in-class resources and expertise to put this mishap behind us. Be rest
assured of our resolve to limit the escape of oil and protect the ecosystem
from its effects.”
Aiteo remains committed to ascertaining, immediately the
well head is secure, the immediate and remote causes of the leak which will be
driven by a JIV that will follow.
Nevertheless, it is important that we affirm our preliminary view, based on our assessment of the proximate circumstances, that it will be difficult to exclude deliberate tampering of the well by oil thieves attempting to siphon crude directly from the well head. In our view, sabotage remains the most imminent cause of this incident.
Oil theft and asset vandalism continues to present the
biggest challenge we face in the operations of oil and gas production in the
Niger Delta area. It has continued to damage the production profile of oil
producers in so many ways.
As we commend the relevant security agencies with whom we
interface to combat this menace, we believe the need and capacity to provide
significantly more remain overwhelmingly critical especially because there is
so much more to be done to realign the architecture of the delivery
infrastructure of oil and gas production in Nigeria in line with the current
industry structure of multiple producers operating assets that were previously
built and managed by one producer.
Aiteo feels deeply concerned on the occurrence of the
incident at all. The circumstances and fortunes of the immediate community
remains our most anxious consideration and, at this time, has assumed the highest
priority, alongside making safe the well and its immediate environs.
It is our fervent desire that in the attainment of this
intensely challenging objective, the interests of the proximate community
continue to be safeguarded in every material respect by the collective efforts
of our company and all the industry professionals whose involvement Aiteo has
convoked.