Oil spill
Chika Amanze-Nwachuku
Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited and Fishermen have reported an oil spill on the Atlantic coastline in Ibeno, Akwa Ibom State.
MPN, an affiliate of US oil major, ExxonMobil operates two offshore oil blocks and a 960, 000 barrels per day crude export terminal, off the Akwa Ibom coastline.
The oil giant said in a statement last night that the source of the spill was unknown.
It however stated that a response team comprising officials of National Oil Spills Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), MPN and the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) had been deployed to the spill site and samples taken to ascertain its source.
“Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited, operator of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC/MPN) Joint Venture, confirms that oiling from an unknown source had been sighted on the shoreline, near Ibeno, Akwa Ibom.
An emergency response team was immediately dispatched to the shoreline and samples of the substance collected for fingerprinting to determine it source, which remains unknown”.
The statement signed by General Manager, Public and Government Affairs, Mr. Paul Arinze added that relevant government and regulatory agencies had been duly notified, restating the company’s commitment to high safety, health and environmental standard in its operations and well-being of its host communities.
The Zonal Director of the National Oil Spills Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), Mr. Irvin Obot said the agency received the report of the oil spill on Monday.
“Both the community and Mobil reported that there was an oil spill; Mobil said it was a ‘mystery’ spill and we have since dispatched our staff to the site.
“Investigations are already under way to determine the source and cause of the spill and a fingerprint analysis would trace the source of the oil leakage,” the News Agency quoted Obot to have said.
Mobil had in 2010 confirmed two oil spill incidents in the Qua Iboe oil fields. The oil major had confirmed a discharge of crude into the Atlantic Ocean from Yoho crude production platform. It said a very minor discharge occurred at Yoho production platform.