Fear as COVID-19 hits Nigeria’s offshore, remote oil locations

The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) has raised alarm over non-adherence to established protocols on COVID-19 by some local and international companies in their oil facilities, leading to a spike of recorded cases in the locations. DPR, a regulatory arm of Ministry of Petroleum Resources, in a statement on Tuesday, lamented that despite stringent measures highlighted by the agency through directives, and circulars issued to the oil firms to contain the spread of COVID-19 in their immediate environment and areas of operations, the industry has sadly recorded COVID-19 cases in some offshore and remote locations, many of which are linked to non-adherence to established protocols. It said: “It is worrisome to note that some personnel of Government authorities do not subject themselves to the controlled isolation period which forms part of the protocol for the management of COVID-19 by Operators prior to embarking to these locations” It noted that the act of non-compliance can severely disrupt activities in the industry which is a critical sector of the Nigerian Economy, emphasizing that non-adherence to protocols puts everyone at risk as COVID-19 does not recognize profession, level or cadre. “Consequently, and pursuant to Regulation 45 of the Petroleum (Drilling & Production) Regulations, 1969, NO personnel (including Government authorities) shall be permitted to embark to offshore/remote locations in the oil and gas industry without being fully subjected to established protocols” “Furthermore, all Operators are to ensure that evidence of compliance with the protocols by personnel travelling to offshore/remote locations are duly documented. For the avoidance of doubt, no personnel shall be granted waiver of any sort” DPR, however, commended the efforts of some oil firms in implementing stringent measures to contain the spread of COVID-19 in their immediate environment and areas of operations in line with Government’s directives and circulars issued by the Department of Petroleum Resources