Panic has gripped the residents of Okpoama Kingdom in Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa State as a dangerous gas leak continues to emanate from an oil well owned by the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC), a subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC).
The gas leak, originating from the “Christmas Tree” head of the oil well located in OML 66, named Kurogbagba 1, has persisted for the past five days, prompting significant concerns among the local populace.
A hissing sound, a result of intense pressure releasing the gas from the wellhead, can be heard from over a kilometer away, causing distress among the residents.
The sound has forced local fishermen to vacate their settlement out of fear of a potential fire outbreak.
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Mr. Monday Okon, the leader of the fishermen in Bendick Kiri, a community close to the gas leak site, confirmed the evacuation due to the pervasive gas smell and the looming fire risk.
Heexpressed his concern about the proximity of the community to the oil well, stating that it has disrupted their livelihoods.
“This is the third time it has happened, but it has not been this serious,” Okon added.
In May 2023, the 53-year-old abandoned oil well experienced a leakage that was eventually contained. However, it suffered another blowout on October 20, 2023, leading to the current crisis.
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Comrade Tarinyo Akono, a former Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, who visited the site on October 23, 2023, described the well blowout as both intense and extremely perilous for the local population and the environment.
He called upon the NPDC to urgently address the issue, citing over fifty such oil wells in the area.
