Favour Ishember, Abuja
The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) says investigators encountered gas hissing from several oil wells, alongside corroded and vandalised facilities, during inspections linked to the ongoing probe into the mysterious gas seepage in Bille Community, Degema Local Government Area, Rivers State.
The Commission disclosed that its investigation team physically inspected 14 wells but was unable to access three others because they were submerged. The field assessment formed part of the facility and infrastructure workstream established to determine the source of the seepage.
Providing an update during a special technical presentation at the 44th Annual International Conference and Exhibition of the Nigerian Association of Petroleum Explorationists (NAPE), the Director of Subsurface Development, NUPRC, Engr. Joseph Ogunsola, represented by the Senior Manager, Onshore Frontier Development Drilling, Mr. Azibamikiomam John-Adumo, said the Commission had screened 28 oil and gas wells based on their proximity to the seepage locations and the reservoirs penetrated during drilling.
The assessment classified three wells as very high risk, 10 as high risk, and 15 as medium to low risk, as investigations continue to establish the exact origin of the gas seepage.
Ogunsola explained that gas seepage is a relatively new occurrence in Nigeria’s petroleum industry, prompting the Commission to assemble a specialised team to investigate the source of the underground gas bubbles.
He revealed that studies conducted in one of the affected areas had exposed structural concerns. According to him, one of the nearby wells was originally drilled in search of crude oil but was later shut after gas was discovered instead.
A statement issued by Eniola Akinkuotu, Head of Media and Corporate Communications at NUPRC, said the particular well is located about 2.5 kilometres from the seepage point. Investigators are working to determine whether the seepage is linked to that well or other nearby facilities.
He added that the distance between the seepage site and surrounding wells ranges from 2.5 to 3 kilometres, noting that the area is heavily explored and richly charged with hydrocarbons, as reflected in the large number of wells in the vicinity.
Ogunsola further disclosed that the investigation has advanced from the first reported gas bubbles to an independent scientific fingerprinting campaign within 12 months. He recalled that the initial seepage was recorded in October 2025, while results from the independent investigation using Gas Chromatography-Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry (GC-IRMS) and compositional field analysis are expected in the fourth quarter of 2026.
While investigations continue, he said the Commission and operating companies have delivered relief materials and emergency assistance to affected communities, including food supplies, medical outreach services, potable water support, fire vans and safety kits.
He warned that if the seepage is eventually confirmed to be a natural geological phenomenon, affected residents may have to be evacuated because tracing underground migration pathways and designing effective subsurface interventions would be significantly more difficult. He reaffirmed that the Commission remains committed to a coordinated, integrated and speedy investigation to establish the true source of the gas seepage.
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