The National Oil Spills Detection and Response Agency ,NOSDRA, has taken swift action to contain an oil leakage from TotalEnergies’ Egina facility.
NOSDRA deployed a spill response aircraft and five vessels to apply dispersants on the oil leak that occurred on November 15. The spill, caused by an operational mishap due to an export hose failure on the Floating Production Storage and Offloading ,FPSO, vessel located about 130 kilometers off Rivers/Akwa Ibom coastline, prompted an immediate response.
Dispersants, chemicals used to break down oil molecules, were applied to prevent the spill from impacting shorelines. NOSDRA’s Director-General/Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Idris Musa, provided an update on the response efforts, emphasizing the prompt identification and containment of the spill. The operator of the FPSO, TotalEnergies, initiated response activities, with NOSDRA’s personnel closely supervising and coordinating the efforts.
Aerial surveillance was conducted twice daily to monitor response activities, and additional resources, including response equipment, personnel, and dispersants from Clean Nigeria Associates (CNA), were utilized. An aircraft with dispersant application capabilities was facilitated from Oil Spill Response Limited (OSRL) in the UK to expedite response activities.
The response team, which included representatives from relevant government agencies such as the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPPC), worked collaboratively to address the spill. The aircraft completed three runs, spraying dispersant on the affected areas, while vessels engaged in mechanical agitation to break down the slick.
NOSDRA’s update highlights the effective collaboration between government agencies, TotalEnergies, and other stakeholders in responding to the oil leakage, emphasizing the adherence to extant laws and regulations.
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