Fire guts Shebah Oil Platform in Niger Delta

Shebah Exploration & Production Company Ltd (SEPCOL) management has declared that a fire has overtaken the oil and gas company’s offshore plant in the Niger Delta.

–10 crew members on board
–No casualties reported yet, Investigations ongoing–Mgt

The company’s Chief Executive Officer, Ikemefuna Okafor, claimed in a statement that there were ten crew members on board at the time of the event, albeit no fatalities had been reported at the time of the announcement.

According to the company, an inquiry into the cause of the explosion and fire has begun.

“The Management of Shebah Exploration and Production Company Ltd (SEPCOL) in RECEIVERSHIP hereby announces the unfortunate incident of a fire that engulfed our offshore facility, the FPSO Trinity Spirit located at the Ukpokiti Terminal, following an explosion during the early hours of Wednesday,” according to the statement.

“At this time there are no reported fatalities, but we can confirm that there were ten crewmen onboard the vessel before the incident and we are prioritizing investigations concerning their safety and security.

“We appreciate the assistance provided us by the Clean Nigeria Associates, the Chevron team operating in the nearby Escravos facility, and our community stakeholders as well as fishermen, who have been of tremendous assistance since the incident happened.

“We have duly notified all relevant authorities and we appeal to the members of the public to stay away from the area while our Crisis Management Team continue to monitor the situation and update all stakeholders with new information as the investigation evolves”, the statement read.