A Floating Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel operated by Shebah Exploration and Production Company Limited (SEPCOL) has in the early hours of Wednesday been engulfed by fire.
The FSPO named Trinity Spirit is located at the Ukpokiti Terminal, Warri South-West, Delta State.
The vessel has the capacity to process up to 22,000 barrels of oil per day, inject up to 40,000 barrels of water per day and store 2 million barrels of oil.
Confirming the development in a statement on Wednesday, SEPCOL, the organisation currently in possession of the vessel on lease, said it had commenced an investigation to ascertain the cause of the explosion.
Ikemefuna Okafor, the chief executive officer of SEPCOL said;
The management of Shebah Exploration & Production Company Ltd (SEPCOL) in RECEIVERSHIP hereby announce the unfortunate incident of a fire that engulfed our offshore facility, the FPSO Trinity Spirit located at the Ukpokiti Terminal, following an explosion during the early hours of Wednesday, February 2 2022.
The cause of the explosion is currently being investigated and we are working with necessary parties to contain the situation.
Despite stating that no casualty has been recorded, Mr Okafor, who disclosed that 10 crew members were onboard the facility when the incident occurred, was unable to give an account of the whereabouts of the crew members.
He mentioned that his organisation was prioritising investigations into the crew’s whereabouts to ensure their safety and security.
See some videos from the scene of the fire below;
BREAKING: Trinity Spirit Floating Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel with a capacity to process up to 22K barrels of oil per day, inject up to 40K barrels of water per day and store 2 million barrels of oil, exploded, caught fire and sunk off the coast of #Nigeria. pic.twitter.com/81mEt8OASF
— Insider Paper (@TheInsiderPaper) February 3, 2022
#Oil Production Vessel Explodes Off the Coast of #Nigeria
An oil production ship exploded off the coast of Nigeria in what may well prove the nation’s second major environmental blow in three months. pic.twitter.com/cMEHYmr0yp
— Dr. Sandeep Seth (@sandipseth) February 3, 2022
