Chevron Denies Liability Over Oil Spill Claims From Its Delta Facilities

Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL), operator of the joint venture between the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and CNL, has debunked claims of oil spill from its facilities in Delta State.

BIGPENNGR had reported that some women and youths drawn from over eleven communities in Gbaramatu Kingdom, in their hundreds, had on Friday, took over the Otunana and Abiteye flow station, facilities of the American oil giants, Chevron Nigeria Limited, over what they termed deliberate delay by the oil firm to attend to alleged oil spills from the oil company’s flow facility in the area.

Chief Godspower Gbenekama (The Fiyewei of Gbaramatu Kingdom) who confirmed the oil spill cliams in a statement, said that many residents had  abandoned their homes while some are reportedly hospitalized after falling sick due to negligence by Chevron to attend to the spill which reportedly occurred over three weeks ago.

“The women have vowed to keep occupying both the Otunana and Abiteye flowstations until their demands are met. They will not be cowed or chased away without working solutions”, he said in a press statement released on behalf of the Gbaramatu Traditional Council on Friday.

But CNL, in a statement said it was aware of the media report and claims by some communities alleging an oil spill from its Abiteye, Makaraba and Utunana Fields in CNL’s Western Operations, Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State, saying however that oil sheen on water in some of the Ijaw communities are not from its Assets in Abiteye, Makaraba and Utonana fields or from any other CNL facilities as alleged.

A statement on Saturday by CNL’s General Manager (Policy, Government and Public Affairs) Esimaje Brikinn said: “CNL has investigated and continues to survey its Assets in the Abiteye and Utonana Fields including the 16” Makaraba-Utonana-Abiteye Right of Way (ROW) and confirms that there has not been any indication that the oil sheen on water is from its Assets in Abiteye, Makaraba and Utonana fields or from any other CNL facilities as alleged.

“We take incidents of oil spill seriously. Our surveillance programme is an ongoing exercise engrained in our processes; and we respond to every report of a spill by following established industry regulatory processes, including engagements with communities and regulators, and Joint Investigation Visits (JIV), to determine source, cause and impact of such spills. These are ongoing in the current case.

“We continue to engage the communities and communicate our findings concerning the alleged spill to the leadership of the community stakeholders. CNL operates in strict compliance with relevant laws and regulations governing the Nigerian petroleum industry, and remains committed to the protection of people and the environment. We will continue to conduct our operations reliably and efficiently, with utmost consideration for environmental protection”.