Oil spillage sparks fire in Shell’s facility

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An inferno yesterday engulfed an oil pipeline belonging to Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), leading to shutting down of production from the facility in Bayelsa State.

Although Shell declined to give details of the amount of production shut, it said the fire outbreak on the Okordia-Rumuekpe pipeline followed oil spillage that was discovered on the line on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, participants at the National Environmental Consultation have called on the Federal  Government to formulate a holistic environmental policy that would ensure the protection of locals’ livelihood and economies, which is aimed at green economic recovery.

In a  statement at the end of the conference hosted by Environmental Right Action/ Friends of the Earth Nigeria in Benin-City , the group made up of participants from local communities, non-governmental organisations, development agencies, research institutions also agreed that there should be an immediate end to gas flaring and compensation to communities impacted by years of gas flaring.

Confirming the inferno to The Guardian, Shell’s spokesman, Precious Okolobo said the company had immediately responded and mobilised a fire fighting team to the site.

He said: “SPDC confirmed reports of a fire incident this morning (November 9) on the Okordia-Rumuekpe line in Bayelsa State and mobilised a fire fighting team to the site. Some production has been shut in.”

Okolobo, however, said Shell’s investigation team was set to visit the site to determine the cause and impact of the fire.

Few minutes after the confirmation, he said the fire was later put out late yesterday.

The fire, which was still raging yesterday, according to community sources, started from a spillage noticed from a pipeline route of the oil exploration company last week. The fire caused panic and mass evacuation of indigenes to a safer distance to avoid a spread and possible destruction.

Other recommendations at the conference include, the immediate implementation of the recommendations of the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) Report on Ogoni and an extension of the audit to cover the entire Niger Delta region with mechanisms established for immediate remediation of impacted areas and the setting up of $100 billion clean-up fund.

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-The Guardian

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