Fire still burning at OML95 Oilfield 42 Months After Initial Explosion
The fire that broke out in May 2020 on the Ororo-1 Well, a marginal field within Chevron Nigeria Limited’s operated OML95 in Ilaje, Ondo State, is still reportedly raging over 42 months later.
Despite initial claims that the fire had been stopped after six weeks, a report by the Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) affirms that the fire continues to burn.
The Ororo field is owned by Guarantee Petroleum Limited and Owena Oil and Gas Limited, with shallow water depths ranging between 23ft and 27 ft offshore Ondo State. The ongoing fire is described as a tragic odyssey of injustice and environmental destruction, harming the marine ecosystem and disrupting the economic activities of nearby communities.
HOMEF has emphasized the lack of attention from both the government and the responsible company over the past three years regarding the ongoing fire at the Ororo-1 Well in OML95.
The organization has expressed concern about the prolonged environmental impact and disruption to the livelihoods of nearby communities due to the uncontrolled fire. The lack of intervention is seen as a failure to address the environmental and social consequences of the incident.
“Awoye community’s tale is a sad example of a healthy region turned into a sacrifice zone by the pursuit of fossil fuels. The burning well has now become a symbol of ecocide and outright neglect by the Nigerian state.
“Field data reports show that the reservoir pressure was 8,000 pounds per square inch and above, and surface pressure was about 4,600 psi during the incident. It’s a widely held view by a range of technical specialists in the industry that such a highly pressured well should not have been re-entered with a workover rig with less than adequate blowout preventer.
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“Whatever the case, the raging fire at Awoye needs to be quenched. This tragic incident compounds the climate crisis and harms the communities and ecosystems in multiple ways.
“Stopping the flaming well isn’t rocket science. What is needed is an understanding that the cost of this unattended disaster is far higher than the cost of drilling relief wells and other actions to quench the flames and save the communities.
“Now is the time to end dependence on fossil fuels and leave the oil on the ground while ramping up investment in renewables.”
