Renaissance Africa Energy Co. Ltd, a Nigerian independent oil firm, has suspended crude oil transportation through its Okordia-Rumuekpe pipeline in Rivers State following an oil spill, the company said on Tuesday.
The pipeline, which carries oil southwards to the Rumuekpe manifold for export via the Bonny terminal, was compromised in the early hours of Monday within the Ikata community of Ahoada East district, according to reports from the Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC-Nigeria). The environmental organisation’s volunteer network was the first to identify the leak.
Renaissance, which acquired the pipeline from a former Shell onshore subsidiary, has halted all production into the line and implemented containment measures designed to minimise environmental impact, a company spokesperson said in an official statement.
While the company has not yet revealed the precise cause or volume of the discharge, YEAC-Nigeria suspects third-party interference, noting that crude oil had already spread into adjacent areas.
The firm has informed relevant government regulators and is collaborating with regulatory agencies and local community representatives to conduct a joint investigation into the spill.
The Niger Delta region of southern Nigeria frequently suffers from oil spills and pipeline vandalism, leading to widespread pollution, damage to ecosystems and local livelihoods, and repeated disruptions to oil production.
Volunteers who inspected the Okordia-Rumuekpe site reported clear signs of excavation and deliberate tampering with the pipeline infrastructure, according to Fyneface Dumnamene, a director at YEAC-Nigeria.
