By Dr. Inenyo Esinte
The acquisition of OML29 and ultimate control of Nembe Creek Trunk Line by Aiteo Eastern Exploration and Production Company Limited in 2016 from The Shell Petroleum Development Company(SPDC) of Nigeria Limited has ushered in new ownership and leadership in the management of OML29, this also places the task of respecting the rights of host communities, safeguarding and protecting the environment within the domains and jurisdiction of operations of Aiteo E&P company in tandem with established community relations laws and global best practices in the Oil and Gas industry.
Nigeria’s daily Crude Oil production was adversely affected by Crude Oil bunkery and pipeline vandalism especially across the Niger Delta region with grave environmental impacts and repercussions from pipeline vandalism and Crude Oil bunkery.
Following the takeover of Nembe Creek Trunk Line by Aiteo E&P company from Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) and also as a consequence of incessant Crude Oil theft through pipeline vandalization, Aiteo E&P company came up with the novel idea of Crude Oil transportation through mega Seagoing vessels to shorten the distance of Crude Oil transportation through pipelines in a move to reduce, tame and stem the activities of Crude Oil theft and pipeline vandalism. This resulted in the eventual construction of a Crude Oil Tank Farm at Nembe Creek Flow Station, where Crude Oil will be transported via the Nembe-Brass-Okpoama-Beletiema co-owned St. John’s River/River Rio Bento to an offshore Crude Oil storage facility in the Atlantic Ocean, about 27Km off the shorelines of Brass Island.
This innovation and development to curb Crude Oil theft and pipeline vandalization by Aiteo E&P is indeed commendable but also poses some dire and negative environmental consequences that should be given keen attention for proactive preventive and mitigative measures to protect and safeguard the environment of all host communities in Nembe and Brass L.G.As respectively in tune with the new Crude Oil transportation developments.
This novel idea to transport Crude Oil through Crude Oil transport mega Seagoing vessels from Nembe Creek Tank Farm to prevent crude Oil theft is indeed economically commendable but it also comes with some grave, environmentally and ecologically damaging and harmful consequences to host communities. The negative environmental and ecological impacts of transporting Crude Oil through mega Seagoing vessels from Nembe Creek Tank Farm to an offshore Crude Oil storage facility through St. John’s River/River Rio Bento include the following:
1. Shoreline Erosion
2. Frequent Crude Oil spills from vessels as a result of possible leakages.
3. Affectation and destruction of the primary means of livelihood of the people… Fishing.
4. Accidents and possibly loss of lives from collisions especially at night.
5. Damage and deforestation of the Mangrove forest from shoreline erosion and frequent crude Oil spills from possible leakages.
6. Extinction of shoreline coastal host communities as a consequence of recurrent and frequent shoreline erosion.
7. Massive Crude Oil spills from possible shipwreck of vessels carrying Crude Oil resulting in major environmental disaster.
8. Destruction of aquatic life.
9. Hydrocarbon consumption is related to health problems and diseases due to crude Oil pollution of fish and other aquatic life.
10. Noise pollution from mega Seagoing vessels.
From the above-stated detailed environmentally and ecologically harmful consequences of the plan by Aiteo E&P Company Limited to transport Crude Oil through mega Seagoing vessels along River Rio Bento/St. John’s River to its offshore Crude Oil storage facility, there is an urgent, great, and undeniable need for a detailed Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) survey and the presentation of the EIA report to the public and experts for scrutiny and feedback is of utmost importance and hence Aiteo E&P Company Limited must conduct an Environmental Impact Assessment survey and all processes must be followed to the letter as required by law for all projects of this magnitude.
It will be a grave crime against host communities, the Bayelsa State Government, and by extension Nigeria, if EIA is not conducted and the report presented to all stakeholders including host communities, the Bayelsa State Government, the Federal Ministry of Environment, Civil Societies and all other respective agencies and organization for constructive feedback. Thus the responsibility is on Aiteo E&P to do the needful as required by law in sync with international best practices.
From the above problem statement, it is pertinent for coastline host communities(Nembe, Brass, Beletieama, Okpoama, Kpongbokiri) to demand the presentation of the EIA report or findings from Aiteo E&P Company Limited and properly review, scrutinize, and study the report with environmental experts for informed opinion and productive feedbacks to Aiteo E&P Company Limited in the spirit of sustainable development. Anything short of this will amount to jeopardizing the future of the host communities in the event of any disaster emanating from the activities of Aiteo E&P Company Limited along the St. John’s River/River Rio Bento.
I also call on the respective government agencies, ministries, and departments to prevail in Aiteo E&P Company Limited to pursue its activities as regards this new arrangement to transport Crude Oil through mega Seagoing vessels with the utmost respect for the Environment and host communities.
The necessary punitive actions against Aiteo E&P Company Limited should be served in tune with existing environmental, Oil, and Gas Exploration laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in the event of any breach of the rights of host communities, Bayelsa State Government and the Federal Republic of Nigeria and adequate compensation should be paid to host communities where and when necessary accordingly.
Aiteo E&P Company Limited in synergy with coastline host communities along St. John’s River/River Rio Bento should also put in place regular actionable environmental and ecological monitoring, evaluation, and swift hazard mitigation and remediation plans in place to forestall any untoward environmental accident, damage, destruction, and calamity that may ensue from the transportation of Crude Oil from Nembe Creek Tank Farm to its offshore Crude Oil storage facilities in the Atlantic Ocean.
Hence, this is a call for Aiteo E&P Company Limited to be proactive and not reactionary in the event of any accident involving Crude Oil transportation Seagoing mega vessels, and the aforementioned detrimental Environmental consequences.
Though the initiative of Crude Oil transportation from the newly established Nembe Creek Tank Farm to the offshore storage facility through mega Seagoing vessels appears commercially expedient, the need for an Environmental Impact Assessment survey and public presentation for scrutiny and feedback following this development is non-negotiable and sacrosanct if the rights of host communities, the Bayelsa State Government and other respective Federal Government agencies, ministries, and civil society organizations must be respected in sync with existing environmental laws.
Thus, this is a call for all host Communities, relevant State and Federal Government ministries, departments, and agencies to demand and compel Aiteo E&P Company Limited to perform the requisite public presentation of the Environment Impact Assessment report to all host communities, key stakeholders, and players.
The normal approach and procedure for a project of such magnitude is for Aiteo E &P Limited to conduct an Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) Survey or Audit, followed by a public presentation of the report of the EIA conducted to host communities, respective state, and Federal Government Environmental regulatory ministries and agencies to study such report following presentation and make relevant feedback and recommendations to Aiteo E &P before the formal commencement of operations by Aiteo E&P Limited, anything below the above EIA requirement procedure for such a project with immense harmful, detrimental and grave Environmental consequences and eventualities disavow existing mandatory national and international Environmental protection laws required for such a project, Oil and Gas Exploratory related operations of such capacity, dimension, and magnitude.
This is also advocacy and a call for the leadership of host communities of Nembe, Brass, Beletieama, Okpoama, and Ewoama to present a unified negotiation front, remain firm and resolute in upholding and protecting their Environmental rights and privileges, put up a sustainable negotiation front with Aiteo E&P Company Limited without jeopardizing the future of their communities by ensuring that long-term realistic, achievable, and implementable Environmental Protection plans, programs, benefits, and privileges are established and duly instituted by Aiteo E&P Limited for all host communities in a sustainable manner and approach that will be beneficial to all indigenes and members of host communities even generations yet unborn because, in the event of a major Oil spill resulting in a major ecological disaster and calamity, everyone will be affected and impacted.
Lastly, respective State and Federal Government ministries, departments, and agencies saddled with the responsibilities of Environmental protection within their jurisdiction must do more, to compel and ensure international and local Oil and Gas exploratory companies respect the rights of host communities and protect the Environment in their domains of operations.