Gas Leak Pollutes Taylor Creek In Bayelsa

SAN FRANCISCO, February 22, (THEWILL) – A major gas leak from an oil field, operated by Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NOAC), near the Taylor Creek in Kalaba community, has been polluting the waters and the environment of the community in Yenagoa local government of Bayelsa.

The incident which was noticed at the weekend has been attributed to a gas pipeline buried under the Taylor Creek at Kalaba community, Okordia Clan, Bayelsa.

Samuel Oburo, a Youth leader from the area who spoke to THEWILL disclosed that the gas leakage was sending giant bubbles to the water surface at the Taylor Creek which supplies potable water to the communities for drinking and domestic use.

He called on the oil firm to immediately deploy to the site and shut the source of the gas leak to forestall further pollution of the environment and exposure of residents to toxic associated gas.

He berated NOAC for allegedly reneging on a pledge to provide alternative water source the community two years earlier while saying that the incident has placed the community at crossroads.

The leakage was also confirmed by Chief Roman Orukari, the Paramount Ruler of Kalaba Community.

“What we are seeing is the bubbling of gas; leaking from the pipe of NOAC. This was discovered in the early hours of Saturday,” he said.

“I got to hear about it first when some children were shouting that oil was bubbling and that there was a leakage.

“As a trained field monitor I also came around to see what was happening in the environment; whether what I heard was true. When I pulled down here by canoe, I discovered that it was true, gas was actually bubbling.

“Incidentally, this Creek is our only source of drinking water and where we carry out almost all domestic activities. And right now, the water is polluted.

“What I did then, as a monitor of the environment; I promptly informed the Environmental Rights Action because, that is the organization we know that has been helping us to reach out to Agip whenever such things happen.”

Efforts to get a reaction from NAOC officials were futile as they all declined to comment on the development while an Email request for comments sent to the oil firm's parent company, Eni, was yet to be responded to.

Story by David Oputah