Seven oil workers have died in an explosion that occurred at Gbetiokun, Oil Mining Lease (OML 40), operated by the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC).
Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) announced this on Wednesday in a statement signed by its spokesman Dr Kennie Obateru, in Abuja.
Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) is the flagship subsidiary of the NNPC.
Obateru said that the unfortunate incident occurred on Tuesday during the installation of a ladder on a platform (Benin River Valve Station) for access during the discharging of Gbetiokun production.
He also stated that investigation on the cause of the explosion had commenced, while the Department of Petroleum Resources had been duly notified.
According to him, Form 41 was being prepared for the industry regulator as required in circumstances of this nature.
Obateru stated;
The bodies of casualties have been deposited in a morgue in Sapele, while families of the personnel involved are being contacted by their employers: Weld Affairs and Flow Impact, which are consultants to NPDC.
He further explained that all personnel onboard the platform have been fully accounted for, adding that the NNPC Group Managing Director, Malam Mele Kyari, had commiserated with the families of the bereaved.
Kyari prayed that God grants the families the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss of their loved ones.
