NUPRC flags 13 gas leaks as top-priority risks in Bille, Rivers State

Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC)

The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) said it has screened 28 oil and gas wells around reported gas leak locations in Bille, Degema Local Government Area of Rivers State, identifying 13 as top-priority (3 very high risks and 10 high risks) and 15 as medium-to-low risks, as investigations continue to determine the source of the seepage.

In a statement issued on Friday, the commission said the update was announced on Thursday during a special technical paper presentation it hosted at the 44th Annual International Conference and Exhibition of the Nigerian Association of Petroleum Explorationists (NAPE).

The presentation, titled “Unravelling Gas Seepage and Bubbling in Nigeria: The Integrated Study Approach Towards Source Attribution,” provided an update on the ongoing investigation into the leakage reported in the community.

In his presentation, the director of Subsurface Development at the NUPRC, Joseph Ogunsola, said the gas seepage is a new phenomenon in Nigeria’s petroleum industry, prompting the commission to constitute a team to scrutinise the source of the bubbles.

Mr Ogunsola, who was represented by a geologist and senior manager at Onshore Frontier Development Drilling, Azibamikiomam John-Adumo, said studies conducted in one of the affected areas have helped the investigation team understand the underlying geological structures.

He explained that one of the wells in the area was originally drilled to find oil but was shut down after gas, rather than oil, was discovered.

According to him, the well is about 2.5 kilometres from the seepage location, and investigations are ongoing to determine whether the seepage originates from that well or other nearby facilities.

He added that other wells in the area are between 2.5 and three kilometres from the seepage locations.

Mr Ogunsola noted that the area is highly explored and hydrocarbon-charged, as shown by the number of wells in the vicinity.

This is the first time the NUPRC has provided a precise update on its investigation into the source of the gas seepage affecting lives and livelihoods in Bille.

In June, a PREMIUM TIMES investigation revealed how toxic gas emerging from beneath the ground in the riverine community is threatening residents’ health and livelihoods.

The leakage, which has persisted for more than a year, raised several life-threatening concerns, including explosions, disturbing sights and odours, and disruptions to residents’ economic activities.

Gas has been bubbling to the surface from abandoned mono pumps and long-abandoned shallow wells across the community, forcing its way through ageing pipes buried underground for decades.

Providing an update on the well-screening workstream, which forms part of the facility and infrastructure component of the investigation, Mr Ogunsola said 28 wells were assessed based on their proximity to the seepage locations and the reservoirs encountered during drilling.

He disclosed that the investigation team physically inspected 14 wells but could not access three others because they are submerged.

During the visits, the team observed gas hissing from some wells, while other facilities were corroded or vandalised.

He further explained that the investigation has progressed from the first reported gas bubbles to an independent gas fingerprinting campaign within 12 months.

Recalling that the first seepage was observed in October 2025, he said results of the independent investigation, using Gas Chromatography-Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry (GC-IRMS) and compositional field analysis, were expected in the fourth quarter of 2026.

While investigations continue, Mr Ogunsola said the commission and operators have mobilised relief materials and other forms of support for affected communities.

The interventions include food supplies, medical outreach, efforts to provide potable water, fire-fighting vehicles and safety kits, among others.

He warned, however, that residents might have to be relocated if investigations establish that the seepage is caused by a natural geological phenomenon.

According to him, tracing the migration pathways of naturally occurring gas and designing appropriate subsurface interventions could be considerably more challenging.

He reiterated the commission’s commitment to conducting a speedy, coordinated and integrated investigation to establish the source of the gas seepage.