The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC) on Friday evening, announced that it has shut down crude feeds into the 16 inch Nun River-Kolo Creek crude trunkline in Bayelsa State.
An oil leak was reported on the trunkline at Obololi in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of the state.
According to the Director-General, National Oil Spills Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), Mr. Chukuwemka Woke, the spill occured on February 16 and was reported on February 17.
An SPDC spokesman, Mr. Michael Adande, announced the shut down in a statement, following inquires to ascertain the oil company’s containment measures on the spill.
According to the statement, the shutdown had stopped the leak, while response efforts were ongoing to contain the spread of the crude and its impact on the environment.
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The statement reads: “The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC), operator of the SPDC Joint Venture (SPDC JV), confirms that its oil spill response team has identified a leak from one of the SPDC JV assets located in the Obololi community, Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa state.
“The team immediately isolated the line and suspended production into the line.
“The regulatory authorities and other stakeholders have been notified. Plan to conduct a regulator led joint investigation visit, to determine the cause and impact of the spill, is ongoing,”
The oil firm however, did not disclose the volume of oil production affected by the shutdown. But, the 16 inch pipeline evacuates oil produced from various oil fields within Bayelsa swamps and feeds the SPDC:s manifold in Kolo.
On Friday, NOSDRA chief executive, Emeka Woke, stated that the cause of the leak and estimated volume discharged was yet to be determined, because the pipeline was beneath the river.
The regulator said that it has recommended a diversion of the river to a temporary dam to give access to the joint investigating team to the leak point for examination.
