Uzere Well Explosion: HOMEF lamentss non-containment, remediation by Heritage Energy 5 weeks after Incident
The Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) has bemoaned the adverse environmental pollution at Oil Mining Lease (OML) 30 impacting Uzere community residents.
HOMEF, an ecology focused civil society organisation alleged that Heritage Energy Operational Services Ltd. has yet to contain or clean up a well blowout in Uzere Kingdom, Delta, five weeks after the incident.
HOMEF made the allegation in a field report dated Aug. 3 on Friday.
The report is sequel to a visit to Uzere Kingdom in Isoko South Local Government Area of Delta.
The organisation said the blowout occurred on June 26 at Well 14 in OML 30, operated by Heritage Energy Operational Services Ltd.
According to the report, community leaders said company engineers attributed the incident to equipment failure caused by excessive pressure.
HOMEF said residents claimed repeated efforts to contain the blowout failed, allowing crude oil, gas and associated petroleum fluids to continue escaping into the environment.
It said the damaged wellhead, known as the “Christmas Tree,” reportedly collapsed and continued discharging pollutants more than one month after the incident.
The report said the affected site is close to farmlands, fish ponds and a gas flare facility, raising fears of wider environmental damage as the flood season approaches.
Mr. Sylvanus Evroro, Chairman of the Uzere Oil and Gas Committee, recalled that a smaller spill occurred in the same field about 10 years ago but was successfully contained.
He said the current blowout 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. If this blowout is not contained immediately, our farms, fish ponds, lakes and swamps will be seriously affected,” Evroro said.
He warned that expected flooding in August could spread oil pollution across the community and surrounding areas if urgent action was not taken.
HOMEF said community leaders informed its delegation that Heritage Energy reportedly notified the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) nearly two weeks after the incident.
According to the report, residents said NOSDRA officials later visited the site and reportedly linked the incident to poor equipment maintenance.
They expressed concern that no effective containment or remediation had begun by the time HOMEF visited.
The organisation said its team, accompanied by community leaders, was denied access to the spill site by security personnel.
It said the assessment relied on photographs, videos and eyewitness accounts provided by residents because no Joint Investigation Visit report was made available.
HOMEF said evidence gathered indicated the blowout posed serious environmental, economic and public health risks.
The group expressed concern over the prolonged response to the incident and questioned the effectiveness of regulatory oversight.
HOMEF called on Heritage Energy to immediately contain the blowout, commence environmental clean-up and remediation, and grant unrestricted access to regulators, affected communities and independent observers.
It also urged NOSDRA to conduct and publicly release a transparent Joint Investigation Visit report, while calling on federal and Delta State authorities to ensure environmental restoration, compensation and long-term monitoring of the affected area.
When contacted on telephone, Esosa Anenih, General Manager, Heritage Energy Operational Services Ltd. confirmed the incident and said that investigation into the well head explosion and containment efforts were ongoing.
She explained that the blowout was from a corked non-producing well and said the energy firm was actively working with regulators and host community representatives to contain the incident.
“We are investigating the roof cause of the explosion from the well. We reported the incident as statutorily required to the National Oil Spills Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) within 25 hours of the incident.
“The Joint Investigative Visit (JIV) to the incident site was immediately convened, comprising NOSDRA, State Ministry of Petroleum Resources and community representatives.” she said.
On the cause of the blast, Snenih explained that the JIV was yet to be concluded as the joint investigation team has scheduled a visit to the incident site to examine the well head for possible clues.