ABUJA, June 19 (Xinhua) -- Nigerian authorities said on Wednesday an investigation has been launched into an oil spill from an oilfield in Bayelsa, a state in the country's oil-rich Niger Delta region.
The leak was detected during routine operations on Monday at the Oil Mining Lease (OML) 29 in Nembe, a community in Bayelsa, said Solomon Ukponevi, head of operations at the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency, the country's regulatory body.
Ukponevi told reporters that the oil facility was immediately shut down, and an emergency response team was deployed to take precautionary measures to contain the leak while additional resources were being mobilized.
He said the detection and response agency has already scheduled a joint investigative visit to the area, to ascertain the cause of the spill, the estimated volume of crude spilled, and its impact on the environment.
In a statement, the oilfield's operator, Aiteo Eastern Exploration and Production Company, said it supported the shutdown of operations at OML 29 to "safeguard the environment from further degradation," adding that the cause of the spill was currently undetermined.
The company said that while working to engage with stakeholders to mitigate the immediate effects proactively, it would expedite an efficient spill management process in line with regulatory standards and collaborate with all stakeholders to restore production and mitigate associated risks.
Oil spills are not uncommon in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria, one of Africa's largest producers of crude oil. ■
