The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has reported a crude oil spill incident during loading operations at the Egina Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) facility in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. The spill, estimated to result in a loss of about 2.3 million barrels of crude oil for Nigeria, is being closely monitored by NIMASA in collaboration with the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) from the Crisis Management Room (CMR).
Edward Osagie, the Head of Public Relations at NIMASA, stated in a press release that the agencies are actively tracking the spill in real-time using oil spill monitoring software from the Emergency Response Center. While the exact volume of the spill is yet to be confirmed, Total Energies is conducting aerial surveillance and dispersant application. Further mobilization is being considered, with assistance from Oil Spill Response Limited in the United Kingdom for pollution control measures.
A reconnaissance survey of the affected area revealed that shoreline communities such as Andoni, Qua-Iboe terminals, Bonny Island, Opobo/Nkoro, and Eastern Obolo, located closest to Egina, have not yet been impacted.
Dr. Bashir Jamoh, the Director-General of NIMASA, emphasized the agency’s collaboration with all stakeholders to control the pollution and implement measures to prevent future occurrences, aligning with the provisions of the MARPOL Convention. He stated, “Since the incident happened, our men have been liaising with other organs of Government to ensure the pollution is effectively controlled and managed, to protect the marine environment and the communities close to the incident point. Accidents do happen; it’s what we do thereafter that matters, and I believe that the IOC Total, working with NIMASA, NUPRC, NOSDRA, and collaborating with international service providers, will surely ensure proper management of the spill.”