Heritage Energy Concludes Remediation of Third-Party Induced Spill Site at Uzere

 

….. Reiterates Commitment to Environmental Stewardship

 

Third-party interference or third-party infraction of oil and gas assets has been a long-standing major challenge confronting the oil and gas industry in the Niger Delta. In the context of oil and gas assets in the Niger Delta, third-party interference refers to actions or events caused by external entities or individuals that negatively impact the assets. These include vandalism, sabotage and theft as well as terrorism. These illegal activities pollute the soil, disrupt crude oil production and operations of multinationals and indigenous operators.

 

Over time, both the multinationals and indigenous operators have experienced abrupt shutdown of operations, loss of revenue, and significant damage to the environment with attendant huge cost of clean-ups due to this menace of third-party infractions. According to National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency’s (NOSDRA’s) Oil Spill Monitor, 88% of all spill incidents between 2022 to 2024 are due to sabotage and theft.

 

On the 15th of June, 2023, there was a spill on the 16” Uzere-Eriemu delivery pipeline managed by Heritage Energy Operational Services Limited, the Operator of OML 30 Joint Venture between NNPC Exploration and Production Limited (NEPL) and Shoreline Natural Resources Limited (SNRL).

 

In compliance with industry regulations, a joint Investigation visit (“JIV”) involving relevant stakeholders, including community members, was carried out and reports confirmed that the spill was caused by third-party interference on the Company’s 16” Uzere-Eriemu delivery pipeline.

 

It was gathered that HEOSL did a follow-up visit to the 15th of June, 2023 spill site on 19th of March 2024 based on community complaints, and there was no visible or free phase hydrocarbon sighted during the visit that will pose further threat to the environment or cause further spread of hydrocarbon to other communities. However, the Company saw a need for further remediation and mobilised two (2) competent contractors to undertake further remediation work.

 

Mr. Sola Adebawo, General Manager, Government, Joint Venture & External Relations, Heritage Energy Operational Services Limited, confirmed that the soil remediation works across surface impacted areas was closed out on 29th April, 2024 with participation of NOSDRA, Delta State Ministry of Environment and community leaders participating.

 

“As a result of the 19th March 2024 on-site assessment, we deem it necessary to immediately prioritize the post-cleanup remedial works. We mobilized two (2) competent vendors to carry out this activity which was duly commissioned by the regulators. The soil remediation works across surface impacted areas, was closed out on 29th April, 2024. In terms of spill percolation, the site is predominantly of clay characteristics, making it difficult for deep percolation across most of the impacted surfaces”

 

President General of the Uzere community in OML30, Mr. Sonnie Eke, confirmed that the area affected by the spill was mapped out and the clean-up has been done satisfactorily by the vendors hired and mobilized by Heritage Energy. He commended Heritage for hiring a competent vendor for the job, adding that if other affected areas are discovered the company will be informed to do the needful.

 

Although the Company declined to comment on the amount spent on the remediation, going by the equipment on ground, the remediation must have cost a lot of money. The Uzere spill is just one of the many spills caused by third parties. Sadly, oil and gas operators keep on spending millions of Dollars cleaning up. For how long will these criminal activities continue in the Niger Delta?  Sometime, in 2018, a leading multinational oil company in Nigeria, disclosed that third party interference caused close to 90 per cent of the number of spills in its own area of operations.

 

Industry experts have decried that oil spills due to crude oil theft and sabotage on facilities by third party interference, as well as illegal refining, caused the most environmental damage from oil and gas operations in the Niger Delta.  According to National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency’s (NOSDRA’s) Oil Spill Monitor, 87.6% of the volume of oil spilled in the Niger Delta between 2022 to 2024 are caused by sabotage and theft.

 

Unfortunately, crude oil spills caused by the illegal third-party activities continue to damage the land, pollute the air and water, and subject host communities to health risks. The Federal Government of Nigeria has to do more on providing security and take necessary measure to end third-party interferences on crude oil pipelines in the region.

 

*PIA as panacea to stopping third-party activities

 

On the prevention of third-party infractions, an official of NODSRA, said the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021, will play a significant role to stop the menace. “The PIA, will strengthen the company and host communities’ relations to ensure sustainability of production and protection of the environment.”

 

This is mainly because it mandates the establishment of Corporate Social Responsibility in form of the Host Community Development Trust (HCDT) a trust for the benefit of the host communities to which oil and gas operators (described as “settlors”) are obliged to make annual contributions based on three per cent of their yearly operating expenditure.

 

Heritage Energy is no stranger to CSR since the Company understands the nexus between community development and safe operating environment. Mr. Sola Adebawo, General Manager, Government, Joint Venture & External Relations, maintained that “At Heritage Energy, we strive to understand and manage the sensitivities of the environments in which we operate as well as our responsibilities to them, throughout the lifecycle of our operations”

 

“We have specific requirements and recommendations governing how we identify and manage the environmental and social impacts plus risks of all our projects. We aim to contribute positively to global sustainability through our operations, the development of our fields, the adoption of new technologies and the conduct of our relationships with all stakeholders.”

 

He stated further, “Through our actions, we are helping maintain the integrity of our environment and our pollution control processes and standards as well as our greenhouse management plan are being applauded and recommended by industry regulators to peers”

 

According to Adebawo, Heritage Energy’s Corporate Social Responsibility strategy in OML 30, includes the promotion of active and enduring partnerships, the sharing of economic benefits created by our activities through the conduct of our community relationships as well as environmental stewardship. “We work with local communities to generate mutual benefits and shared progressiveness – some of which stem from required health and education initiatives.”

 

It is important for all stakeholders to recognize that benefits of the oil and gas operations can only accrue to host communities on a sustainable basis when the oil and gas operators feel safe and also do not expend funds unnecessarily for the repairs of assets impacted by third parties. We therefore  all need to collaborate and fight the scourge of third-party infractions to a stand still in the Niger Delta and beyond.