Explosion At NNPC Facility Kills Seven Workers

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation on Wednesday, announced the death of seven workers caused by an explosion.

The agency said the explosion occurred on Oil Mining Lease 40 operated by the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company, NPDC, a subsidiary of NNPC.

The explosion occurred on Tuesday at the petroleum company’s Benin River Valve Station.

This was announced in a statement issued by the Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, NNPC, Kennie Obateru, in Abuja, titled “NNPC Reports Explosion at NPDC’s Benin River Valve Station.”

He said the BRVS explosion happened at Gbetiokun, OML 40, operated by NPDC.

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“The incident, which occurred on Tuesday during the installation of a ladder on a platform (Benin River Valve Station) for access during discharging of Gbetiokun production, unfortunately caused  seven fatalities,” he said.

On what caused the explosion, Obateru said investigations were ongoing to get the detailed information.

The statement added that the Department of Petroleum Resources had been duly notified and Form 41 was being prepared for the industry regulator as required in circumstances of this nature.

“The bodies of casualties have been deposited in a morgue in Sapele, while families of the personnel involved are being contacted by their employers,” NNPC stated in its statement.

It named the employers as Weld Affairs and Flow Impact, adding that they were consultants to NPDC.

NNPC said all personnel on board the platform had been fully accounted for.