Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL) has confirmed in a statement that it has begun work drilling a relief well in order to seal the Funiwa 1A natural gas well that had been hit by the ongoing offshore rig fire.
According to reports, the relief well is being drilled in hopes of putting out the major blaze that started on 16 January, destroying the oil company’s offshore rig and claiming the lives of two of its workers.
The fire, which has burned for over one month now, is only miles off the coast of Nigeria’s oil-rich south and has caused major environmental hazards in the region.
Fishing communities in the Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State at the tip of the Atlantic Ocean say they have suffered the most, claiming that the offshore rig fire has done much to damage sea life.
In a recent Al Jazeera report, dead fish could be seen floating in the contaminated waters and some were washed on to the shore. At least 82 people claim to have fallen sick eating contaminated fish from once safe waters.
Chevron has debunked claims that the envrionmental hazzards had been caused by the fire incident.
CNL claims their drilling plans will enable the cementing and abandonment of the Funiwa 1A well.
The relief well is being drilled by the Transocean Baltic rig with approvals from Nigerian authorities.
The Petroleum Minister’s visit to areas affected by the inferno.
