The Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) has urged Heritage Energy Operational Services Limited to urgently contain the wellhead blow-out at OML 30, Uzere in Isoko South, Delta State.
HOMEF, an ecology-focused organisation, made the call in a field report obtained by reporters on Saturday in Yenagoa.
The foundation expressed concern that the company, the operator of OML 30, had yet to respond to the blow-out which occurred at Well 14 on June 26.
HOMEF reported that the blow-out had allowed crude oil, gas and associated petroleum fluids to escape uncontrollably into the environment.
It said the damaged wellhead had continued to discharge pollutants into the environment more than one month after the incident.
“The affected site is close to farmlands, fish ponds and a gas flare facility. This is raising fears of wider environmental damage, especially as the flood season approaches,” it said.
HOMEF urged Heritage Energy to immediately contain the blow-out and commence environmental clean-up and remediation.
“We further call on the company to grant unrestricted access to regulators, affected communities and independent observers,” it said.
The foundation urged the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) to conduct and publicly release a transparent Joint Investigation Visit report on the incident.
“The federal and state governments should collaborate to ensure environmental restoration, compensation and long-term monitoring of the area,” it said.
Mr Sylvanus Evroro, Chairman of the Uzere Oil and Gas Committee, said a similar spill occurred in the same field about 10 years ago but was successfully contained.
Evroro said the current blow-out posed a far greater threat to farming, fishing and food production in the community.
“About 90 per cent of our people are farmers and fishers. We call for immediate action in the interest of the community.
“If this blow-out is not contained immediately, our farms, fish ponds, lakes and swamps will be seriously affected,” he said.
He warned that the predicted flooding in August could spread oil pollution across the community and surrounding areas if urgent action was not taken.
When contacted, Esosa Anenih, General Manager of Heritage Energy Operational Services Limited, confirmed the incident and said investigation and containment processes were underway.
She explained that the blow-out was from a corked non-producing well and that the firm was working with regulators and host community representatives to contain it.
“We are investigating the cause of the explosion from the well. We have also reported the incident to NOSDRA as statutorily required,” she said.
