Barely one week after repairs of the 24 inch Ogboinbiri/OB-OB gas pipeline operated by Nigeria Agip Oil Company (NAOC) at Azikoro/Okaka communities in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, vandals have again set ablaze the facility, disrupting the firm’s gas export schedule from oilfields in the state.
Agip had said last week that it repaired the pipeline and put it to service after it was attacked on March 28 by suspected oil vandals.
The breach of the pipeline operated by Agip has cut the oil firm’s gas export feed to the Nigeria Liquified Natural Gas gathering and processing plant.
The vandalised point located within Okaka and Azikoro in Yenagoa Local Government Area was engulfed by fire on Wednesday.
Director-General/Chief Executive Officer, National Oil Spills Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), Mr Idris Musa, who confirmed the incident on Thursday, said the agency had observed a rising spate of sabotage-induced oil and gas leaks at oilfields in Bayelsa state.
Musa had raised the alarm that three sabotage incidents had occurred on oil and gas facilities in Bayelsa State within one week and advised operators to reinforce surveillance.
The NOSDRA boss explained that shortly after fixing the gas pipeline, vandals blew it up again.
He said, “There was a gas leak last week from a vandalized gas pipeline OB-OB/Ogboinbiri pipeline at Okaka in Bayelsa State.
“The pipeline was repaired but unfortunately it was re-vandalized again thus resulting in fire.
“The Nigerian Agip Oil Company is working actively to depressurize the pipeline in order to effect repairs on the pipeline.”
The fire at the scene of the incident had yet to be put out as of Thursday morning, while residents were panicky over environmental safety.
When contacted, the company said it was doing fact checking and may issue a statement soon.
