Posted by By Soni Daniel, Port Harcourt on
An abandoned oil well in Kpaen community in Khana Local Government Area of Rivers State reportedly sparked fire on Tuesday night and spewed crude into farmlands in the area.
An abandoned oil well in Kpaen community in Khana Local Government Area of Rivers State reportedly sparked fire on Tuesday night and spewed crude into farmlands in the area.
The fire sparked off from Well 13 in Yorla oil field resulting in tongues of flame which was still raging as at 5pm on Wednesday.
Helicopters were seen roving over the burning oil well apparently to explore ways of containing the fire.
An official of Shell Petroleum Development Company, who pleaded anonymity, confirmed the incident. He added that the company would contain the fire and the spill.
The spokesman for the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People, Mr. Bariara Kpalap, told our correspondent on Wednesday that the spill had spread to Kono, Teeraue and other communities.
He said, 'Of immediate concern to us now is the stoppage of the fire and the spill.
'We have already reported this incident to Shell and the Rivers State Ministry of Environment, but what we are seeing are helicopters flying over the area."
Shell was forced by the crisis in Ogoni to leave behind many oil wells.
Although the company is not taking oil from the area as a result of the suspension of operations, crude is still running in many of the wells.
Frequent attempts by oil thieves to take crude from the wells have often resulted in huge fires.
In 2003, no fewer than five oil thieves were burnt in one of the Ogoni communities in their desperate attempt to steal oil from one of the abandoned wells.
Negotiations are, however, going on how the oil firm can return to Ogoni and resume production.