May 26, 2018

The Joint military force deployed to protect oil infrastructure in the Niger Delta has confirmed a fire incident at an oilfield operated by Conoil in Koluama Southern Ijaw Local Government in Bayelsa.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports the fire which started on Saturday morning engulfed an oil rig owned by Depthwize Nigeria, an oil services firm, working at the oil block operated by Conoil.

The rig is located within Nigerian territorial waters in the Atlantic Ocean off Koluama community in Southern Ijaw area of Bayelsa.

Maj. Abdullhi Ibrahim, Spokesman for the joint military force christened Operation Delta Safe who confirmed the incident to NAN on Saturday, said all the personnel on board the rig were successfully evacuated.

He said the fire incident was already under control due to the efforts of fire fighters and that no life was lost.

Although that the number of personnel onboard the vessel named MT Majesty could not be ascertained, it was gathered that the 232 feet rig had the capacity to accommodate 120 men on board.

Also Mr George Ibobra, a community leader in Koluama confirmed the incident, saying the people were grateful that no human life was lost in the inferno.

NAN recalls that the youths of Akassa, in Sanganna area of Bayelsa, had put out a fire which occurred on Conoil offshore platform near Brass LGA, Bayelsa on Sept. 29, 2017.

Also in 2012 , an explosion of a rig K.S Endeavour at an oilfield operated by Chevron occurred near the North Apoi in koluama.