The Member representing Brass-Nembe Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Marie Ebikake Tuesday moved a motion on the need to assess the environmental impact of transporting crude oil by mega seagoing vessels from Nembe Creek Trunk to offshore crude oil storage in the Atlantic Ocean by Aiteo E&P via the Brass river in Bayelsa State.
Moving the motion during plenary, Ebikake noted that Aiteo E&P acquired the OML29 from Shell Petroleum Development Commission (SPDC) and took over the Nembe Creek Trunk line in 2016.
She also noted that the commencement of the transportation of crude oil by mega seagoing vessels by Aiteo E&P was to reduce the distance of crude oil transportation through pipeline and drastically minimize the incidence of crude oil theft.
She also said there is the construction of an oil tank farm at the Nembe Creek flow station from where crude oil is transported via the St. John/Rio Bento River through Nembe, Brass, Okpoama, and Beletiama to the offshore crude oil storage facility in the Atlantic Ocean, 27km off the shoreline of the island of Brass.
The lawmaker however expressed worry over the effects of the project on the environment and humans, in terms of shoreline erosion, accidents from the collision of operational vessels, and the possible loss of lives as well as massive crude oil spillage that will destroy the ecosystem, and damage aquatic life.
According to her, this will also harm the basic means of livelihood, which is fishing and the deforestation of the mangrove forest, and the attendant noise pollution.
She, therefore, urged the house to mandate “the federal ministry of environment to compel the management of Aiteo E&P to conduct an environmental impact assessment of the project as dictated by the Environmental Impact Assessment Act, 2004, and include the host communities, the state government, and stakeholders, in line with international best practices, subject to the scrutiny of the public and environmental experts.”
She also asked the house to mandate the Committee on Environment and Petroleum Resources (midstream) to:
“a. Investigate the environmental impact of transporting crude oil by mega seagoing vessels from Nembe Creek Trunk to offshore crude oil storage in the Atlantic Ocean by Aiteo E&P and
“b. Monitor compliance with the Ministry of Environment and the management of Aiteo E&P with this requirement and report back within four weeks for further legislative action.”
