An explosion has been reported at a deserted oil well near Bendick-Kiri in Okpoama Kingdom, within the Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
According to PUNCH Metro, the incident took place on October 20, 2023, leading to the continuous release of oil and gas materials from the well’s Christmas tree into the surrounding environment of the creek fishing settlements.
Local sources indicated that the affected oil well, recognized as “Kurogbagba 1” in OML 66, was owned by the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company.
According to reports, fishermen have evacuated the affected zone due to the oil well’s leak, which reportedly began in May of this year.
A 14-second video captures the spill, revealing a hissing sound caused by the substantial pressure expelling oil and gas from the wellhead.
Concerns exist that this ongoing six-day incident might lead to the widespread dispersion of oil and gas materials into the marine environment, potentially causing a fire if the leak isn’t promptly contained.
The leader of the fishermen in Bendick-Kiri, originally from Akwa Ibom State, Monday Okon, emphasized that the entire community had vacated the area due to the noxious odor of gas and oil, as well as the looming threat of a potential fire incident.
“We are afraid the place will be in flames because we are very close to the oil well. If we catch fish, we can’t dry them. I am here because the community asked me to stay nearby and inform them when people come”, he said.
According to Okon, this marked the third instance of a blowout, with the earlier occurrences being less severe than the current incident.
Additionally, a former chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Bayelsa State Council, Tarinyo Akono, who inspected the site on Monday, characterized the wellhead blowout as “severe and highly perilous” for both the community and the environment.
He said, “I was there in May this year when there was a blowout and now this sad occurrence. The livelihood of the people has been truncated. I have called on the NPDC to do something about these wells and they are over 50 of them.”
