IDSL NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR GAS PIPELINE EXPLOSION.........NNPC Insists..

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, has explained that its subsidiary, the Integrated Data Services Limited, IDSL was not responsible for the pipeline explosion which occurred yesterday at a Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited, NLNG, pipeline in Emohua Local Government Area, Rivers State.

Making this known to NAIJNEWSALERT in a Press statement, Ndu Ughumadu, Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division of the NNPC stated that IDSL’s operation crew which was engaged in acquiring seismic data for SPDC in Oil Mining Lease, OML, 17/22 ROBO 3D prospect, “observed approved safe distance standards contained in the Department of Petroleum Resources’, DPR, regulations and as such could not be the cause of the blast”.

“Our activities involve the use of seismic explosives of size 2kg and detonators. The drilled and exploded depth is 45 metres. At this depth the effect on the surface cannot affect any structure”.

According to the GGM, Group Public Affairs Division, “the suspected gas leakage on the gas pipeline between Eveku and Rumodogo 1 communities in Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State of February 22, 2017 was not caused and cannot be caused by NNPC, IDSL Party 05 seismic operations. Our closest activity around the incident area yesterday was 798 metres away from the pipeline”.

“As a responsible corporate body”, Mr. Ughumadu said “IDSL’s crew on operation in Emohua Local Government Area observed, to the letter, DPR’s regulations governing such activities which include: maintaining a minimum distance of 25 metres from tarmac roads, 50 metres from houses, 100 metres from pipelines, and a minimum distance of 200 metres from well heads or oil wells”.

The statement further revealed that the IDSL crew was 798 metres away from the exploded pipeline and that the relevant authorities in Rivers State have been informed of the incident.