From Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
Suspected vandals have blown up the 24” Ogboinbiri/OB-OB at Azikoro community in Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
This is the third time the pipeline operated by Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) would be vandalised since the first one in April 2022.
The destruction of the gas pipeline has adversely affected Nigeria’s gas export feed. Sources said the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) has been cut by five million Standard Cubic Meters per day (MMSCM/d) due to vandalism.
Director-General/CEO, National Oil Spills Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), Mr Idris Musa, who confirmed the pipeline blast yesterday, said the gas line, which evacuates an average of five MMSCM/d, was reported to the agency to have been vandalised on Tuesday. He said following the notification, a team of officials, comprising the Secretary of Azikoro community, the Commissioner of Mineral Resources, Bayelsa, Dr Ebiere Jones, and representatives of NOSDRA, visited the incident site yesterday.
Musa, while disclosing that the Azikoro community also contacted the agency about the explosion with NOAC, assured that it would conduct the investigations in a transparent manner and findings made public.
“Due to high pressure, NAOC was directed by NOSDRA to depressurise the facility, preparatory for a Joint Investigation Visit (JIV), which will follow immediately to ascertain the cause and extent of the incident.
“NAOC is already at the incident site with the agency, among other stakeholders working to contain the explosion and secure the incident site, preparatory to JIV and other remedial measures,” he said.