Eroton Announces Successful Containment of  Oil Spill in Rivers

Sunday Okobi

Eroton Exploration and Production Company Limited, has announced that it had successfully shut in CAWC015 Well amid efforts to contain CAWC047 wild well oil spill in Rivers State.

Following the oil spill incident in Cawthorne Channel Well 15 (CAWC015L/S) which occurred on June 15, 2022, the indigenous oil producer has confirmed that the spill has been successfully contained and the well brought under control.

The company in a statement also expressed delight “to confirm that CAWC-047 that was also vandalised within the same month and flowing to the environment since July 14 has just been controlled.”

It added that efforts are ongoing to complete a spill clean-up of the wellhead slot, a proper securement, and the subsequent installation of subsurface downhole plugs.

Eroton recalled that both spills were due to willful sabotage by unknown persons.

In the statement issued by the company spokesperson, Mercy Max-Ebibai, it stated that the well engineering team and the well control vendor assiduously worked to establish control across all the flowing points on the vandalised wellhead.

The statement affirmed that in the light of the sabotage, the team had to fabricate a platform on a work barge (as the well head platform had been initially totally cannibalised) before control valves could be installed and well shut-in was achieved.

Max-Ebibai also stated that following the preliminary Joint Investigative Visit (JIV), the JIV with all relevant stakeholders, including NOSDRA, the Ministry of Environment and the community was held on July 15, 2022, with the intent to estimate spill volume and Post Spill Impact Assessment, confirming that the clean-up exercise will be wrapped up at the earliest possible time.

However, she commended members of the affected community, stating that: “As excellent hosts, they provided all the necessary support in arresting the situation despite the hazards posed by the incident. We are happy that their seafaring and economic activities can return to normal in no time.”

The statement noted that Eroton is one of Nigeria’s foremost indigenous Oil and Gas Companies. “It is the Operator of OML 18 Field on behalf of the NNPC/Eroton JV. OML 18 is situated in the Eastern Niger Delta and covers a total area of 1,035 SQKM in an onshore swamp terrain. Eroton has a clear vision for the future, which is evident from the six-fold increase in production since the asset was acquired in 2015. Eroton is based in Lagos and Rivers States,” it said.