Nigeria’s largest indigenous oil and gas company, Aiteo has put in place machinery and resources of international standard to ensure the stoppage and management of the oil spillage in its Santa Barbara, Southwest field, in Nembe Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
This disclosure was made in a statement signed by Victor Okoronkwo, Group Managing Director (GMD), Aiteo Eastern E & P Company Ltd, and spotted by The Octopus News.
In the statement, Okoronkwo revealed that the company set machinery in motion to control and manage the spillage following a visit on Thursday, November 25, by the Honourable Minister of State for Petroleum, Timipre Sylva, and other dignitaries to see ongoing efforts being undertaken to cap the well and take stock of the situation at ground zero.
Further, the statement revealed that Silva had detailed discussions with the Aiteo intervention team on ground, led by its Chief Operations Officer (COO) Ewarezi Useh who debriefed him on the pre-kill well assessment by Boots & Coots.
Highlighting a town hall meeting that the minister, the company, and other leaders of regulatory agencies had with the Opu-Nembe Kingdom, Okoronkwo stated that the company assured them that their concerns and grievances would be addressed, while investigations take off upon the killing of the well.
“All relevant personnel and experts, local and international are now on location. The marine spread carrying the pumps, chemicals, cranes, and firefighting equipment are 100 per cent mobilized and have started to sail to the location. The crew will night stop at KM45 and takeoff again first light tomorrow with ETA 12noon on site.
“Aiteo Safety and security and HSE teams are monitoring the quality of air every six hours to ascertain the livability of the areas adjoining ground zero,” the statement read in part.
Meanwhile, a team comprising members from Aiteo Well Operations and Boots & Coot are currently at the well site for site preparation for well control operation.
Already concluded in their operations at killing the well is the connection of suction and delivery lines of two high discharge water pumps, to be used for well control operation.
Also, civil work for the development of debris laydown area and bunkhouse placement area is in progress.
Approaching Santa Barbra is a 1000 Ramp barge containing all pimping and simulation equipment for the well kill, while a barge carrying heavy-duty well equipment on is also sailing to the site.
The Octopus News reliably gathered that relief materials such as mosquito net, hygiene, and sanitary kits, disinfectants, food materials, are being mobilized to the immediate communities impacted by the spill, while Aiteo officials are closely monitoring all activities related to the affected communities such as feeding, lighting, hygiene, drinking water and medical requirements with the help of local associations.
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