The Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL) has emphasized that only one oil well (Ojumole) was affected by the penultimate Thursday fire in Ikorigho community of Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo state.
The cause of the fire incident had not been ascertained at press time.
However, residents of the affected communities confirmed that the fire was still raging.
Chevron, in a statement through the General Manager, Policy Government and Public Affairs, of the CNL, Esimaje Brikinn, said efforts have been made to put out the fire completely.
The statement reads: ”The operator of the joint venture between the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation and the CNL confirms that at about 10:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 18, 2019, a fire was observed at the Ojumole Well No.1, an idle and plugged well with no flow line connected to it. Ojumole field is in NNPC/CNL JV’s Western Niger Delta area of operations.
“The CNL conducted an overflight to evaluate the fire and also mobilized emergency responders to assess the site, contain the fire and boom the area. In addition, CNL notified community stakeholders about the incident and also reported it to the Department of Petroleum Resources, National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) and other regulatory and security authorities.
”A Joint Investigation visit to the site of the incident on Saturday, April 20, 2019, by a team made up of regulatory agencies, community stakeholders and CNL, determined that the fire incident was caused by third-party interference. There was no impact to any of the neighbouring communities.
Brikinn, in the statement, insisted that the CNL had been working with contractors to safely put out the fire as quickly as possible.
He said the CNL was committed to the safety of the communities and the environment in its areas of operation, saying “We continue to conduct our operations safely, reliably and efficiently, with utmost consideration for protection of people and the environment.” the statement stressed.
The oil company insisted that there was no life lost in the inferno, even though the community said they lost four persons to the inferno.
Samson Oyedeyi
