The call for the resignation of the Petroleum Minister by the former house of representative and leader of an anti-corruption network currently leading a protest against the corruption laden Jonathan administration appears to have come at the doorstep of another major crude oil spillage that has washed up the shores of Koluama area of Bayelsa State. It scores another embarrassment for the Jonathan administration.
Information reaching 247ureports.com from sources within the area of impact and from within Chevron engineering unit – indicate that the people of Koluama I and II may have found themselves the recipients of another potentially noxious spillage of a mixture of gas, crude oil and surfactants – used to dunce the crude oil.
As gathered from an employee of Chevron who pleaded anonymity, the Funiwa Deep IA natural gas well in the Funiwa field, Offshore that is operated and owned by the American multi-national oil firm, [Chevron Nigeria Limited] gave way to excess pressure resulting from built up pressure exerted by gas. The result of the failed gas well cause gas bubbles mixed with crude oil to rise to the sea bed.
It is recalled that the longest gas /crude oil related fire in the history of Nigeria was caused by a faulty technology of Chevron Company. The gas explosion occurred on January 16, 2012 and burned for 42 days nonstop. Interestingly, the gas leakage that resulted in the fire is reported to be within the same vicinity.
In talking to a fisherman near the area of impact, Mr. Larry Gabriel from Fishtown in Brass area – an eyewitness to efforts by Chevron to conceal the oil leak told 247ureports.com that Chevron with the help of a jack-up barge attempted to seal the leak by cementing the bubbling spot with over two hundred and fifty [250] giant bags of cement but it failed to seal the leak. According to Gabriel, “the situation is beyond human control”. Gabriel observed that chemicals were poured on the spilled crude oil so as to dissipate the crude oil and hide the fact that crude oil had leaked and had reached the seabed.
“The jack-up barge had left the spot which has blue and white colour and presently the flame has been put off. The chemical were settled at seabed deep with the crude oil spill and the ocean current took them to the sea shores which are visible even now.
“The company came to some of us who are fishermen in the area to put our nets five kilometers away from the last year’s gas explosion site. We asked the company what was the problem? They said maintenance may harm them.
“It was after two days that while going out for fishing activities that we saw at the sea shore with unidentified chemicals were visibly seen that has affected the water which has no salt content again,” Mr. Gabriel lamented.
Narrating their ordeal to 247ureports.com was the General Secretary to the Federated Youth Organization in Koluama Kingdom, Engr. Ebrasin Leghemo who stated that the continuous unabated gas and oil spillage has brought untold hardship to the people, since their fishing nets could no longer catch fishes with the spill crude.
Engr. Leghemo contented that the present activities of Chevron Nigeria Limited in the area has caused colossal damages to the people and its environment as they (Chevron) continue to pay lip service and lackadaisical attitude towards environmental damages.
According to him, if the trend is not checked by government and relevant agencies, it may bring another round of youth restiveness as claims put before Chevron in last year’s K.S. Endeavour oil gas explosion and fire incident in January 16, 2012 has not been paid to the claimants, yet
another spill again.
He called on Bayelsa State Ministry of Environment, NOSDRA, NNPC and Federal Ministry of Environment to invite Chevron Nigeria Limited for a joint investigation team including Chevron Host Communities to verify the possible cause of spill and implore measures to abate future occurrence.
All effort to meet Mr. Femi Odumabo, Policy Government and Communities Relations Manager failed as calls on his mobile phone were not picked.
Meanwhile, another Chevron staff who pleaded anonymity confirmed to 247ureports.com on phone that the spill occurred and that a team of engineers at home (Nigeria) are battling to put off the oil spill, but to no avail. “It has been difficult for the company”. He added that the management has informed the corporate headquarters in the United States of America to bring in experts to cement the bubbling spot as to avert more damages to the environment.
