Port Harcourt, Rivers State – A fire incident has been reported at the Akaso 4 Wellhead operated by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) 18 Operating Limited in Rivers State. The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) confirmed the incident in a statement released on Saturday.
According to the statement, the fire occurred on Friday at approximately 11:12 pm and has spread along the adjacent riverbank. A rapid response emergency team has been deployed to secure the well, contain the spill, and prevent further environmental contamination.
The company has also established community surveillance and deployed a Naval Houseboat to monitor the situation. A joint investigation with relevant stakeholders is planned to determine the cause and impact of the incident.
Notably, the Akaso Well 4 has been out of operation for a significant period, and the cause of the fire is yet to be determined. The NUPRC spokesperson, Olaide Shonola, assured that the situation is being closely monitored and controlled to minimize any potential harm to the environment and surrounding communities.
