The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has confirmed that preliminary assessments indicate contamination of the first aquifer in Bille Community, Degema Local Government Area of Rivers State, following a nearly year-long toxic gas leak.
Federal government delegation visits Bille
NUPRC Chief Executive Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan disclosed this during a joint visit by a Federal Government delegation led by Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas) Ekperikpe Ekpo on Wednesday. The delegation, including Rivers State Government officials and oil and gas operators, first paid a courtesy visit to Governor Siminalayi Fubara before proceeding to Bille Community.
During the visit, the Federal Government delivered relief materials and pledged immediate humanitarian assistance, including potable water, medical outreach, firefighting equipment, and support for electricity supply, while promising a lasting solution to the environmental crisis.
Preliminary investigations and cautious approach
Eyesan stated that the commission had carried out preliminary investigations into the source of the gas seepage but was taking a cautious approach to prevent further hazards. “We have carried out preliminary investigations. However, we are carefully managing the situation to prevent further hazards before any intervention. We have engaged an international firm to undertake the final studies, with fieldwork expected to commence before the end of July,” she said.
Technical experts from across the oil and gas industry are working with the commission to determine the source of the seepage, and residents will receive regular updates as the investigation progresses.
First aquifer contamination confirmed
Eyesan disclosed that preliminary findings indicate contamination of the community’s first aquifer. An aquifer is an underground, water-bearing layer of permeable rock, sand, gravel, or silt that holds and transmits usable quantities of groundwater. “Our assessment indicates that the first aquifer has been contaminated, and while we work towards a sustainable long-term solution, we will provide potable water as quickly as possible,” she said.
This marks the clearest official acknowledgment of groundwater contamination from the prolonged gas seepage in the oil-producing community.
Background: Toxic gas eruption disrupting lives
The acknowledgment comes less than a month after a PREMIUM TIMES investigation published on 15 June revealed how a toxic gas eruption across several spots in Bille has disrupted lives and livelihoods for nearly a year. Multiple spots on the river surface showed gas escaping continuously, with water bubbling intensely like boiling liquid. Nearby signposts indicated high-pressure gas pipelines transporting crude oil and natural gas.
Bille houses Oil Mining Lease (OML) 18, a major onshore oil and gas block in the eastern Niger Delta covering approximately 1,035 square kilometres, containing fields including Cawthorne Channel, Akaso, and Alakiri. Originally developed by Shell Petroleum Development Company, the asset was acquired by Eroton Exploration and Production Company in 2014. Years of operational disputes, declining production, and ageing infrastructure have left much of the oilfield system abandoned or poorly maintained.
Federal government promises lasting solution
Addressing community leaders at the palace of the Amanyanabo of Bille Kingdom, Ingo Herbert, Minister Ekpo assured residents of the Federal Government’s commitment to identifying the cause and restoring the environment. “Investigation into the root cause is ongoing, and the Federal Government is fully committed to resolving the issue. We will ensure the environment is safe and properly remediated. We are with you on this,” he said.
Governor Fubara commended the coordinated response and assured residents of urgent attention. “The Federal Government is doing everything possible to ensure that the gas seepage is brought under control. The requests for potable water, healthcare and firefighting support have been noted and will be addressed,” he said. He also directed the immediate upgrade of the community’s primary healthcare facility to strengthen its capacity to respond to health emergencies linked to the gas seepage.
Chairman of the Bille Council of Chiefs, Alabo Okpokia Dokubo, urged the government to swiftly implement promised interventions, stating that residents deserve to benefit fully from the oil and gas resources in their community.
