Eroton searching containment solution to wild well oilspill
Indigenous independent oil producer, Eroton, has declared that it needs help in containing a wild well that has been spilling crude oil onto the wetlands of its operational site Niger Delta where vandals are suspected to have broken the wellhead.
Head of the National Oil Spills Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), Idris Musa, stated on Sunday that Eroton had reported the spill to authorities, blaming it on a leak from a wellhead.
Eroton also stated that the incident started on June 15 and preliminary findings showed vandalism was the cause. The company said the wellhead platform had been removed, making it difficult to gain access to the well, it added.
It is estimated that tens of thousand barrels of crude oil may have been spilled into the waters of Niger Delta since June 15 when the company reportedly lost control of the oilwell, but no definite volume have been determined by authorities.
Regulatory sources said that apart from oilspill, associated hydrocarbon gas is also from the well, a situation which has worsened the volatility of the situation which is fast becoming a major health, safety and environment (HSE) incident in the Oil Mining Lease (OML) 18 area onshore Niger Delta.
Whereas Eroton which operates OML 18 block and exports crude through Aiteo operated Nembe Creek Trunkline (NCTL) said it has reported the incident to regulators, it also declared that it has not been able to arrest the wild well and contain spills. This indicates that the spill might continue to worsen production losses from the asset.
Another indigenous oil company, Aiteo Eastern E&P, also suffered month-long oilspill incident which it also blamed on thieving vandals.
“Our team of well engineers are working with contractors and evaluating the safest procedure that will be required to bring the well under control,” the company said.
It was not immediately clear how much oil is produced from the well, which is part of assets that Eroton bought in 2015 from oil major Shell, which is selling its onshore assets to concentrate on deepwater drilling.
