Nigerian energy firm, Aiteo, has resumed production at its Nembe field in southern Bayelsa state, which produces nearly 50,000 barrels per day (bpd), after successfully stopping an oil leak earlier this week.
This is according to a report by Reuters on Sunday.
Aiteo, which runs a joint venture with the national oil company, NNPC Ltd, reported last Monday that a leak occurred during routine operations in the Nembe area, a region heavily polluted by decades of spills that have damaged farming and fishing.
“Our dedicated team has worked diligently to address the issues caused by the recent incident and implemented enhanced safety protocols to prevent future occurrences.
“We are delighted to confirm the resumption of production activities,” Aeito said.
Backstory
Earlier last Monday, Nairametrics reported that Nigerian oil company, Aiteo, halted all production at oil mining lease (OML) 29 after detecting an oil leak at its Nembe swamp facility.
The company said the leak was discovered on June 17 during routine operations in the Nembe area of Bayelsa state, located in Nigeria’s Delta region.
Aiteo noted that its Oil Spill and Emergency Response Team was immediately activated, and all production from OML 29 was shut down as a precautionary measure to mitigate the impact of the incident.
The company’s M.D Victor Okoronkwo said:
“While we regret the production losses and the potential environmental impact, our current priority is to expedite an efficient spill management process in line with regulatory standards and collaborate with all stakeholders to restore production and mitigate associated risks.”
What you should know
In Nigeria, oil spills have had a devastating impact on communities that depend on creeks for their water supply and on farming and fishing for their livelihoods.
The Niger Delta region, characterized by a vast network of creeks and mangrove swamps, is particularly affected by these spills.
Oil spills in the Niger Delta are often caused by vandalism or pipeline corrosion and have become common.
This region suffers from poverty, pollution, oil-driven corruption, and violence, making the impact of these spills even more severe for local communities.
For many years, crude theft, pipeline attacks in the Niger Delta, and a lack of investment have led to declining oil output.
This decline has resulted in reduced Nigerian government revenue and significant fiscal deficits.
Despite these challenges, oil output has increased in recent months, offering some relief to the region and the country’s economy.
The Nembe Creek facility is the largest of 11 fields under an oil mining lease operated by Aiteo, which also produces significant natural gas that supplies the Nigerian liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant at Bonny Island.
