A Floating Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel with a capacity to process up to 22,000 barrels of oil per day has exploded in the early hours of Thursday at the Ukpokiti Terminal, around Excravos, Warri South-West, Delta State.
According to media reports, the huge facility which is called Trinity Spirit was built over 46 years ago with a carrying capacity of 274774 Dead Weight Tonnage (DWT) and an overall length of 337.05 meters as well as a width of 54.5 meters.
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The facility which is owned by Shebah Exploration and Production Company Limited (SEPCOL) served as the primary production facility for OML 108 and is also a government-approved terminal for lifting operations for all OML 108 production.
It was reported that ten persons were onboard the vessel at the time the vessel erupted with flames, however, at the time of filing this report it has not been ascertained if there are casualties from the incident.
The Chief Executive Officer, Shebah Exploration and Production Company Ltd (in receivership), Ikemefuna Okafor, confirming the incident said;
“The management of Shebah Exploration & Production Company Ltd (SEPCOL) in receivership, hereby announces 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, 2nd of February 2022.
“The cause of the explosion is currently being investigated and we are working with necessary parties to contain the situation.
“At this time there are no reported fatalities, but we can confirm that there were 10 crewmen on board the vessel before the incident and we are prioritizing investigations concerning their safety and security”
“We have duly notified all relevant authorities and we appeal to the members of the public to stay away from the area while our crisis management team continues to monitor the situation and update all stakeholders with new information as the investigation evolves,” he said.
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