A production and storage vessel capable of holding up to two million barrels of oil has exploded off the coast of Nigeria with 10 crew members on board.
Video footages of the sinking burning vessel billowing with clouds of thick black smoke has gone viral as investigation are underway to determine the probable cause of the fire.
The FPSO Trinity Spirit which can process up to 22,000 barrels of oil per day, was situated near Warri in southern Nigeria when it burst into flames.
The Chief executive officer of Shebah Exploration & Production Company Ltd (SEPCOL) which owns the vessel said there were no immediate reports of fatalities.
The footage also show water being sprayed on the fire from another vessel.
“We can confirm that there were ten crew men on board (The FPSO Trinity Spirit) prior to the incident and we are prioritising investigations with respect to their safety and security,” Okafor said.
He explained that investigations were underway to establish the cause of the explosion in the early hours of Wednesday while attempts to contain the situation were being made with help from local communities and Chevron, which has a facility around.
