Mobil deploys workers to contain oil spill in S. Nigeria

IBENO, Nigeria - The oil firm Mobil Producing Nigeria has deployed hundreds of workers and equipment to tackle an oil spill in its operations in southern Nigeria's Akwa Ibom State.

The spill, which reportedly started on Friday, has hit the Atlantic shoreline. Oil sediments had been traced along the shoreline in Ibeno, Esit Eket, Eastern Obollo and other settlements on the coast.

Truck loads of heavy equipment, chemicals, hoses and oil spill containment equipment were moved from the jetty to the fields located some 20 kilometres from the coastline.

Youths from the host communities on Sunday were encouraged to be hired to assist in the clean up at the Ibeno jetty.

The National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) confirmed that Mobil reported the incident on Nov 9.

It reported that some 100 barrels of crude discharged into the Atlantic Ocean at the Qua Iboe fields.

The joint inspection visit to the spill site by community representatives, regulatory authority and Mobil has been scheduled for Monday.

However, Idris Musa, the Director of Oil Spill Response at NOSDRA, said on Sunday that the agency had dispatched its men to the site to take samples for tests.

The oil firm had on Sunday confirmed the spill and pledged to mitigate the impact on the environment.

According to the statement signed by Paul Arinze, the Manager of Communications and Government Relations, the oil firm regrets the spill and is collaborating with community representatives and regulators to contain it.

The firm said it had contacted representatives of the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), NOSDRA, Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Environment and local community to overfly the area.

Two spills earlier occurred at the Qua Iboe oil fields on August 13 and August 24.