Nigeria: Aiteo Denies Fresh Leak in its Facilities, Decries Incessant Attacks on Oil Assets

Aiteo Eastern Exploration and Production Company (AEEPCO), on Sunday denied reports that a new leak had been discovered at its Nembe Creek Trunk Line (NCTL) pipeline within its OML 29 facilities, describing the imputations as factually incorrect.

Stressing that there is no iota of truth in any aspect of the story, which it said had been emboldened by “some of the most irresponsible journalism” on the internet, the oil company stated that there was even no attempt to verify the story with its team.

A statement by the management of the indigenous oil firm stated however, that since the last incident on its Santa Barbara well, at least there had been two attacks on its assets, leading to a shutdown of the affected lines.
“AEEPCO has become aware of news now in circulation of the alleged occurrence of a fresh leak from the (NCTL pipeline within our OML 29 facilities.

“This information is factually incorrect; maliciously false; disgracefully incomprehensible and, yet again, the circulation of potentially damaging falsehood orchestrated by entities whose primary preoccupation appears to consist of ill-articulated efforts aimed at denigrating our company’s sterling industry reputation.

“We confirm, unequivocally, that there is no iota of truth in any aspect of this story, the indiscriminate circulation of which has been emboldened by some of the most irresponsible journalism in the internet media. This is especially so because no attempt has been made to verify the story with us,” the firm stated.

However, it noted that since the last leakage at its Santa Barbara South Well 01, the two other infractions that took place were of significantly less impact and had been duly notified to all regulatory agencies.
According to Aiteo, while the first incident occurred on 31 January 2022 at the Nembe well 63L, the second was a suspected interference on the NCTL around Nembe 4 on the 11 February, 2022.

Regretfully, it noted that the latter incident necessitated the shutdown of the NCTL because of the damage and disruption it occasioned to the safe transportation of its fluids and crude volumes from other injectors.
Aside these occurrences, it maintained that no new incidents of any nature, specifically of the type that is now being peddled, have occurred or been reported within its area of operations.

“AEEPCO remains gravely concerned about the persistent heightened attack on our production facilities and the NCTL. These attacks appear to have escalated in intensity and effect.

“All our current efforts to sustain and increase crude production are being aggressively undermined, even wiped out by the activities of economic saboteurs whose audacity continues to be growing by the day,” the company added.
Aiteo disclosed that its NCTL had been targeted, with considerable success, for the sole and devastating objective of aiding crude theft.

The company stated that given the level of losses, occasioned by massive oil theft, it was experiencing, as joint operator of the NNPC/AITEO JV, it is now left with the unavoidable option of actualising a total exit from the NCTL.

“We are giving active and urgent consideration to this course of action because the consequences of continuing to operate in this manner now represents an existential threat to our survival,” firm stated.

It stressed that on the Santa Barbara Well 01 incident, the spillage was contained by the astute deployment of human and material resources, achieved in the face of some of the most testing environmental disaster management challenges and in a manner that attracted commendation within and outside the oil industry.

Given the disruptive and far-reaching impact that such incidents can have on operations, Aiteo insisted that it was unacceptably impudent for those responsible for disseminating falsehoods to assume that the reading audience will give any active consideration to such “unfounded lies.”

Conversely, it noted that what is becoming disconcertingly commonplace, is the emergence of pockets of deliberate contamination of the environment with hydrocarbon substances, for the dominant purpose of inducing or supporting spurious claims for compensatory relief.

“There is a growing, uncomfortable, connection between these nefarious activities and stories of the type that have given rise to this our current public reaction.

“AEEPCO’s strong, corporate presence in the industry continues to receive recognition and endorsement such that well-meaning participants in the sector will continue to distance our reputation and outlook from the kind of activities that these entities seek to associate with us.

“ Our work ethic mandates a familiarity with industry practices which ensures that we will continue to work with sector stakeholders and regulators if and when any such incidents occur.

“We therefore assert, with confidence, that no such incident has occurred that has required us to trigger these inevitable control contacts and that any such suggestion remains a part of a vicious, lawless campaign that is now currently being prosecuted against us,” Aiteo noted.

As an industry leader, Aiteo restated that its dedication and commitment to its host communities which obliges it to continue to operate in a safe, regulated and transparent manner, remain unshaken.

Furthermore, the company explained that it will continue to place communal welfare at the apex of its exploration activities in the Niger Delta.

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