Oil Spill at 18” Kolocreek -Gbaran CPF @ Fandud Onopa Community in Yenagoa LGA, Bayelsa State.

i. There was a pool of water with light crude on its surface at the incident point. ii. Upon bailing of the water and manual excavation, a 3” Valve installed at 12 O’ Clock position on the pipeline was seen with a 2” galvanized pipe connected to the valve through an elbow. The 2” galvanized pipe extended to an unknown destination though suspected to be the illegal bunkering camp where the explosion occurred iii. While the excavation was on going, the JIT noticed smoke in the suspected illegal bunkering site which prompted the JIT to conduct the JIV without properly exposing the entire circumference of the pipe. iv. Due to security concerns, the JIT was disallowed from extending the investigation to the illegal bunkering site where the explosion occurred. v. Free phase crude oil was seen within and outside the right of way. The JIT followed the plume of crude oil to some areas with burnt vegetation. It was suspected that the fire emanated from the camp and extended toward the pipeline right of way, though the pipeline right of way was not affected by the fire.