– TotalEnergies’ FPSO Spills 3,000 Barrels of Oil in Nigeria –
A loading incident at the Egina FPSO, operated by TotalEnergies off the coast of Nigeria, has led to a spill of over 100,000 gallons of oil, as confirmed by Nigerian spill-response officials. The National Oil Spills Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) has verified the occurrence and is presently managing the cleanup and monitoring effort.
On November 15, the Egina FPSO encountered a failure in its loading export hose, resulting in the discharge of approximately 3,000 barrels of oil, according to Nigeria’s NOSDRA. Although the spill has been effectively contained, Charles Ebereonwu, the Country Communications Manager for TotalEnergies, has assured that it has not affected any shorelines or communities, and production activities have continued without disruption.
As a response to the spill, TotalEnergies’ team has been utilizing dispersants to scatter the oil slick, under the supervision of the Nigerian maritime agency NIMASA. NOSDRA, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), and the NUPRC’s Emergency Response Center are also actively engaged in the containment and cleanup operations.
Director Idris Musa of NOSDRA has stressed that while the spill was significant, the swift response strategy implemented has limited its impact. Fortunately, it is not foreseen that the oil slick will reach the shore, thus reducing potential harm to coastal areas.
The Egina FPSO, located around 90 nautical miles to the west of the island of Bioko, Equatorial Guinea, is among the largest FPSOs globally, with a deadweight of 220,000 tons and a length of 1,100 feet. This FPSO represents Total’s largest installation in Nigeria and is considered one of the country’s most advanced ultra-deepwater projects.
At its peak, the Egina field was producing over 200,000 barrels of oil per day, contributing to more than 10 percent of Nigeria’s total production. Despite the recent spill incident, the ongoing cleanup operations are anticipated to effectively mitigate any lasting environmental impact.
