The Federal Government has reacted to the recent explosion at the Ukpokiti Oil Field in Ondo State, which involved the Shebah Exploration and Production Company Limited, SEPCOL’s Floating Production Storage and Offtake.
Chief Sharon Ikeazor, Minister of State for the Environment, assured that the National Oil Spill Detection Response Agency (NOSDRA), which is under her ministry, would go for overflight on Sunday and Monday (today) to monitor the situation of the crude spill in the affected area in a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja.
The overflight operation, according to the minister, would last less than a month and would continue until all remaining oil in the FPSO was removed to avoid further mishaps.
The fire, according to the minister, was eventually put out on the evening of Thursday, February 3, 2022, when it occurred.
Ikeazor commented on Saturday after receiving an update from NOSDRA’s Director-General, who stated that a weekend ‘joint investigation’ operation was performed at the event scene.
She further stated that after extinguishing the fire, NOSDRA conducted an overflight over the incident area on Friday to determine the surrounding circumstances from the air.
According to the environment minister, NOSDRA, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), the Ondo State Ministry of Environment, representatives from nearby communities, and Shebah Exploration and Production Company Limited conducted a joint investigation visit to the incident area and the FPSO on Saturday.
“While the cause of the fire incident is yet to be fully determined, the environment around the FPSO is only slightly covered by the sheen and emulsified oil,” Ikeazor said.
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