Nigeria: 46 Days After, Chevron Gas Rig Fire Stops Burning

This Day

7 March 2012

Nigeria: 46 Days After, Chevron Gas Rig Fire Stops Burning

The fire from an explosion at a new gas well head at Funawa 5 gas platform on the drilling rig KS Endeavour operated by Chevron Nigeria Limited in Bayelsa State has gone out after 46 days of its rage.

Chevron said the fire that killed two workers and destroyed a gas exploration rig off Nigeria's south-east coast stopped burning by itself after rock fragments within the underground natural gas well sealed off the leak.

According to a report on the BBC yesterday, the US oil and gas firm said it would continue work to permanently plug the well back. One month on, flames were reported to be as high as five metres, while the fire burned for 46 days uninterrupted.

Friends of the Earth which said the fire outbreak was the world's worst such accident in recent years, welcomed the news. It however urged Chevron to compensate local Nigerian fishermen for income lost while the fire burned.