The Environmental Conservation Agriculture and Rural Development (ECARD) has raised alarm over an underwater hydrocarbon leak from an Oando pipeline in Azuzuama, Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa.
ECARD said the leak, which began on June 25, had continued unabated as of September 24, polluting the aquatic environment.
In a field report signed by Alagoa Morris, the environmental group said the incident involved Oando’s six-inch Azuzuama-1 flowline.
The group said a Joint Investigation Visit (JIV) report attributed the leak to equipment failure, identifying a suspected 11mm tear on the submerged pipeline.
According to ECARD, underwater inspection by divers confirmed the rupture at the three o’clock position of the pipeline.
The group, however, alleged that the JIV report wrongly recorded Aug. 29 as the date of the incident.
ECARD said it had geotagged photographs and videos showing the bubbling spot on June 25, when the leak was first discovered.
It also alleged that the leak was not repaired despite repeated follow-ups in July, August and September.
The group quoted Azuzuama CDC Chairman, Perediseghebofa Angasei, as confirming on Sept. 24 that the ruptured section remained unrepaired and bubbling continued.
ECARD said videos received from the community on Aug. 20 also showed a hydrocarbon-related slick covering parts of the waterside.
It urged the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and Bayelsa Ministry of Environment to compel Oando to stop the leak immediately.
The group also called for stronger logistics for regulatory agencies to enable independent monitoring and follow-up visits to affected sites.
ECARD urged regulators to discourage alleged discrepancies in dates contained in JIV reports, saying accurate incident records were essential for determining the extent of environmental impacts.
It further urged communities to ensure that persons with requisite technical capacity represented them during JIV exercises.
CAPTION FOR ATTACHED PHOTO
THE LEAK SITE AT AZUZUAMA, SOUTHERN IJAW LGA, BAYELSA