Vandals attack Eroton’s OML 18 again, four weeks after
Oredola Adeola
Four weeks after an attack was recorded at its Cawthorne channel wellhead 15, Eroton Exploration and Production Limited has confirmed another leakage at its Cawthorne Channel field wellhead 047 linked to Oil Mining Lease (OML) 18 which it described as “third party interference”.
Mercy Max-Ebibai, Head of External Affairs and Corporate Communications, Eroton E &P confirmed this is a statement obtained by EnergyDay on Tuesday.
The National Oil Spillage Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), had in a report published by EnergyDay confirmed an oil spillage on the Eroton (OML 18)wellhead.
The attack which occurred on June 15, 2022, was allegedly caused by activities of vandals, affecting the ecosystem and means of livelihoods of host communities.
He said, “It is not the first time the company is experiencing such a spill. About three weeks ago, Eroton confirmed an oil spill incident at Cawthorne channel wellhead 15 which was also attributed to a “third-party interference”.
“As was the case with the earlier reported incident, this recent spill also occurred in the Cawthorne Channel field, wellhead 047 Long string (CAWC047L),” the statement said.
“The CAWC-047 wild oil spill was observed in the morning hours of Sunday, July 10, 2022.
“CAWC047L/S is a dual string well. The Long String arm was shut-in in April 2020 due to flowline vandalisation and in July 2020, the Short String arm was also shut-in for the same reasons. A distant look at the well shows the absence of some wellhead valves on the body of the XMAS Tree.”
The Eroton’s spokesperson further said that the spill “was observed at about 0745hrs coming from the wing valve arm of the CAWC047L, which appears to have been vandalised with the valves, control panels, bean-box, actuators all carted away”.
“The well was observed to be releasing the uncontrolled flow of hydrocarbon to the environment from the long string due to the confirmed compromised and vandalised XMAS Tree containment valves of the wellhead,” she said.
He also confirmed that the Eroton emergency team was working to resolve the situation as quickly as possible, despite the high-pressure spill.
Max-Ebibai however noted that the Cawthorne Channel field is one of the production channels on OML 18 situated in eastern Niger Delta, south of Port-Harcourt on behalf of the Eroton/NNPC JV.
