SEPCOL oil vessel explodes in Warri, whereabouts of 10 crew unknown

A floating crude oil-producing vessel called Trinity Spirit owned by Shebah Exploration and Production Company Limited (SEPCOL) has exploded and sank on Wednesday at the Ukpokiti Terminal in Escravos, Warri, Delta State.

The incident occurred on Wednesday evening as residents of Communities around the area scampered for safety.

Report has it that the Floating Production, Storage, and Offloading (FPSO) vessel has a potential to produce around 22,000 barrels of oil per day, as well as inject approximately 40,000 barrels of water per day and store approximately two million barrels of oil.

The vessel also serves as the primary production facility for Oil Mining Licence (OML) 108.

SEPCOL is owned by a combination of Nigerian and overseas corporate entities, including Abbeycourt Trading Company Limited (ATCO), Abbeycourt Petroleum Company Limited and Allenne Limited.

READ ALSO: Nigeria to lose out from oil dollars, as OPEC+ raises production level

Reacting to the incident in a statement on Thursday, SEPCOL confirmed that there were 10 crew members when the unfortunate incident happened but that everything was being done to ensure their safety and security.

However, it noted that, “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 onboard the vessel prior to the incident and we are prioritising investigations with respect to their safety and security,” it added.

The company disclosed that it had “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.”

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