We sympathise with the families and management of SEPLAT for tragic loss of lives and missing persons assumed dead in the drilling rig collapse in Delta state.
It could be recalled SEPLAT took over from Shell after divestment in most of the IOC’s onshore assets in Delta state.
This is the first time such an operational accident has occurred in Nigeria. Shell operated these assets without tales of collapse drilling oil/gas rigs or wells.
It is very unfortunate and a cause for alarm. Shell (SPDC) carries out a lot of studies and strategic planning including EIAs before embarking on any major project including drilling or building of major facilities involving critical safety concerns for workers and host community locals.
I have been part of several such studies when Shell (SPDC) operated all onshore and offshore assets in the West and East operations. Shell(SPDC) could shut down operations if the company envisages danger, no matter the millions/billions of dollars involved, to save life of one staff or community stakeholders in commitment to SPDC’s reputation for SAFETY FIRST.
All throughout Shell(SPDC) activities they will never allow fire/cooking in any of their pipelines right of way(ROW) and facilities because they are flammable and danger areas. But these new Nigerian indegenous operators who only think of production and profiteering without investing adequately on safety of lives in their operations.
This avoidable tragedy is indeed a sad commentary and the blame lies on the company and its drilling contractors including NUPRC who are supposed to be regulators but are rather more interested in staying in Abuja NNPCL comfort zones and offices where operations are far from. I don’t know what NNPCL, NUPRC, NAPIMS are doing in lagos and Abuja offices.
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