Pipeline vandalism and accidents are a common occurrence in Nigeria’s oil rich delta region.
An oil pipeline explosion accident occurred on Tuesday, July 7, 2020, has killed seven at the Gbetiokun oil field in Nigeria’s delta region. And this explosion had occurred during the installation of a ladder on a platform, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) said in a statement on Wednesday, July 8.
Reuters states that the accidents and pipeline attacks in the Niger Delta are common in Nigeria, cutting into the country’s oil output. Pipelines in the region are exposed and often unguarded, making them easy targets for anyone with access to explosives. The International oil companies have increasingly focused on offshore projects in Nigeria, partly to offset the risk of onshore operations in the Niger Delta.
The latest accident occurred at OML 40, which is operated by a subsidiary of an oil firm NPDC (Nigerian Petroleum Development Company) and the Elcrest joint venture.
The NNPC said that the detailed investigation of the cause of the explosion has commenced, while the Department of Petroleum Resources has been duly notified. And all personnel onboard the platform have been accounted for.
Nigeria is the Africa’s top oil exporter and the world’s sixth largest oil producer.
