FG Launches Investigation after Rivers Community Reports Gas Bubbling Under Water, Details Emerge
- The federal government has launched an investigation into reports of gas seepage in the Bille community of Rivers state
- Residents reported unusual bubbling in nearby water bodies, prompting authorities to activate a joint response
- Relevant agencies, including the NUPRC and NOSDRA, have begun field investigations, as the government assures safety
Oluwatobi Odeyinka is a business editor at Legit.ng, covering energy, the money market, technology and macroeconomic trends in Nigeria.
The federal government has begun an investigation into reports of gas seepage in the Bille community, located within the Oil Mining Lease 18 corridor in Rivers state, following concerns raised by residents about unusual bubbling in nearby water bodies.
Source: UGC
The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, said the relevant agencies have taken immediate steps to determine the source and nature of the occurrence.
This was contained In a statement issued on Monday by the spokesman for the minister, Louis Ibah, and shared with Legit.ng.
Residents report unusual bubbling
According to the statement, residents of Bille and neighbouring communities recently reported seeing bubbles emerging from the ground and surrounding water bodies, prompting regulatory authorities to activate a joint response.
The federal government said the situation is being closely examined to establish whether the phenomenon is connected to oil and gas operations in the area.
NUPRC, NOSDRA begin investigation
The statement noted that the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) have begun field investigations in collaboration with operators working within the OML 18 area.
Two joint inspection visits have already been conducted at the affected locations, during which technical teams collected samples for laboratory analysis.
Preliminary assessments carried out so far have not found any direct link between the bubbling and oil pollution, pipeline leaks, or other operational failures within the existing oil and gas infrastructure.
However, authorities said final laboratory results are still being awaited to provide scientific confirmation.
FG orders intensified monitoring
Ekpo said he had directed the regulatory commission to expand its technical investigations and continue monitoring the affected sites.
He added that regulators are working with operators in the OML 18 corridor to determine the exact cause of the gas seepage and ensure appropriate remedial action once investigations are completed.
Government urges calm
The minister assured residents that the safety of host communities and environmental protection remain key priorities for the federal government.
He therefore urged people living in the affected communities to remain calm and cooperate with regulatory authorities and technical teams carrying out investigations in the area.
Source: UGC
Fire erupts after oil spill in Rivers
Legit.ng earlier reported that a massive oil spill from a wellhead at OML 15 triggered a fire in Buguma, Rivers state, affecting Asari-Toru and neighbouring Degema LGA.
Residents reported that the fire spread across the waterways, causing extensive environmental damage and posing a health threat to the community.
Community leaders called for urgent government intervention and a thorough clean-up, criticising the insensitivity of the facility's owners and the lack of response from government agencies.
Source: Legit.ng
