Engaging them, according to the organisation, would go a
long way toward preventing unethical drilling activities and their negative
environmental consequences.
Dr. James Edet, President of NAPE, stated this at a press
conference following a gas fire at Caritas University in Amorji-Nike, Enugu
State, last week.
He said that the university, which hired borehole drillers,
had hit a gas bed without realizing it, resulting in a large natural gas leak.
He claimed that the mishap occurred when boring extremely
deep to reach the aquifer.
“These are risks.” Before drilling in a subsurface setting,
you must engage professionals to size and survey the area,” he stated.
To avoid burns and other hazards associated with the sort of
flare, he recommended the public to proceed with caution when visiting the
location.
He explained that NAPE, through its experienced members,
would need more data to figure out where the leak was coming from.
According to him, using the data, methods for preventing
such instances can be proposed.
While praising the efforts of the National Oil Spills
Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum
Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), among other government agencies, the
organization offered certain public safety warnings in order to avoid a
worsening of the situation.
Because the source of the leak has yet to be identified,
Edet said the risk of the fire growing larger remains a possibility.
“Subsurface gas leaks necessitate specialized remediation
techniques that differ from standard firefighting techniques. Drilling of any
kind in the area should be stopped until the problem is resolved and the source
is determined,” he said.
He stated that NAPE was on standby to provide professional
help and guidance to relevant entities for thorough remediation operations
while attempting to gather data.
Dr. Princeton Dim, the Awka-Owerri Chapter’s Co-ordinator,
and other members who visited the site said the association was ready to
provide technical and professional assistance to the relevant agencies to stop
the continuous spilling of gas and water, which invariably poses a serious
environmental threat to the community’s lives and property.