By Emma Arubi
On January 16, 2012, Chevron Nigeria Limited KS Endeavor Rig, with scores of personnel on board, caught fire in what is allegedly the worst gas blow-out in Nigeria, killing two persons and leaving several others seriously injured and traumatized.
The gas explosion occurred at Chevron's Funiwa North Apoi Field in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State with over 80 workers made up of Itsekiri, Ilaje and Ijaw who, today, allege that they have been abandoned with no salary and other benefits in spite of their collective agreement.
The workers had allegedly been employed by a firm, Fode, contracted by the oil giant.
The chairman of the workers union and NUPENG/PENGASSEN officials, who spoke to Sunday Vanguard, bared their minds on the matter, threatening to shut down the industry if steps are not taken to immediately address the plight of the workers.
'How the rig exploded'
According to the chairman of the workers union, Mr. Mike Oru, six days before the explosion, the oil well they were working in was "under-control situation". The meaning is that there was a problem and that Chevron representative, their company staff and other personnel on board were fully aware of the problem having drilled up to 12,945 ft with 3, 845 holes.
Oru said: "Inspite of this, the company (fode) insisted that work must continue as they kept asking unnecessary technical questions that lasted for about 30-minutes about how we came to know of the problem and therefore failing to obey tenet number 8 which admonished that any abnormal condition must be addressed.
"Meanwhile, instead of having two pool pushers on board, only one was running the rig which made the job difficult. Another person had to act in the absence of the other tool pusher. Yet the Chevron representative was present and no effort was made to evacuate or reduce personnel on board the troubled rig in this uncomfortable condition within the six-days of well –control.
"Sadly, when the rig eventually caught fire and the workers jumped into the waters, it took Chevron five to six hours before their first rescue helicopter came. It was a fishing trawler and Shell helicopter that came fast enough to rescue the over 80% of the affected workers on board. Curiously, it should take about one hour and ten minutes for Chevron helicopter to get to the location, thus questioning Chevron's safety and evacuation regulation compliance level".
In a letter addressed to PENGASSEN and NUPENG chairmen by Oru, he expressed regret that a day after the gas explosion, their company, Fode, issued redundancy letters to all of them. "Then, three days later, some of the workers who had developed different illnesses, including shock and high blood pressure, from the incident and taking treatment from the company hospital were disallowed from continuing to receive treatments.
The workers union chairman went on: "Chevron officials addressed us and promised that all the workers welfare would be taken care of and that the workers would be on stand-by while their pay will go on. They also promised to liaise with the management of Fode to meet the necessary obligations and expressed regret for turning up late for rescue operation. So the question remains, at what point did Chevron/Fode decide to abandon these traumatized workers with no salary, allowances, compensation and safety award in total disregard to their collective bargaining agreement?
We will shut down the oil industry – PENGASSAN/NUPENG
Zonal chairmen of PENGASSEN and NUPENG, Comrades Elvis Irefo and Edmond Ofudje, who spoke on the incident, said they had intervened on the matter and met all relevant authorities but all to no avail. They claimed that Chevron declined responsibility on the matter while Fode management said the oil giant had not paid them to enable them meet their obligations to the workers.
Both unions called the attention of the federal authorities to the impact of the gas explosion/pollution on the acquatic, humanitarian, and vegetational life of the environment. They also directed the attention of government to the cost of the burnt rig and its implication to oil and gas production to the nation and requested investigation into the gas explosion with a view to remedying the plight of the workers and compensation from Chevron, just as they threatened that if action was not expeditiously taken, they would shut down the oil industry. According to them, they had exhausted all avenues of redress with Chevron and Fode.
