"Field Report 281: Major gas leakage along Agip pipeline; right in the middle of the Taylor Creek", 2 Mar 2016

In the early hours of Saturday, 20th February, 2016; the Environmental Rights Action/ Friends of the Earth Nigeria [ERA/FoEN] received a call from the leadership of Kalaba community...[informing them] that the community had just noticed some kind of bubbling in the middle of the Taylor Creek and, since it was within the area oil/gas pipelines belonging to the Nigeria Agip Oil Company crossed the Taylor Creek; it was suspected to be a gas leak from one of the company’s pipelines…The last time ERA visited this community environment was on 13^thNovember, 2015 when crude oil was spewing into the environment from twenty three spill points [behind the community and towards Rivers State]..[In an interview with ERA/FoEN field monitors, the youth President of the community, Samuel Oburo,  said]: "This is our only source of water, nearest to the community and, it is a major resource our people rely on. It is very unfortunate that Agip has operated here for over 28 years and this community is yet to benefit anything from the company; we get only the negative impacts of their operations. Even the water project which Agip promised us, for which the community and Agip had signed a Memorandum Of Understanding [MOU]; for over a year since signing the MOU; Agip is yet to execute the water project for our community…"

 ERA DEMAND[S]:

1. The Nigeria Agip Oil Company should be prompt in reacting to information concerning such environmentally unfriendly incidents. It is sad to note that the company was informed yesterday [by the security agents] but Agip failed to appear at the scene until ERA had to visit after a whole day.

2. The Regulatory agencies [NOSDRA and Ministry of Environment] should ensure that a properly constituted JIT visits the site and come up with a JIV report.

3. Agip should not delay the MOU it reached with the community any further; especially as the company’s activities has continued to contaminate and pollute the community’s only source of water. Besides; being one-direct flowing water current, other downstream communities in Okordia/Zarama [even up to Gbarain] might be affected.

4. Other necessary things such as health related relief materials and water should be provided for the people.

5. Agip should also take adequate steps to carry out integrity checks on their facilities, especially pipelines to ensure that equipment failure incidents are prevented.

6. Agip should shut down from the wellheads directly gas through this pipeline in other to bring down the pressure and stop the bubble before JIV. But again, JIV and repairs should be prompt because whether the wells are shut on now; the gas residual pressure will continue. And, the danger would be more when it is not [noticeable] anymore; but still leaking into the water.