A floating production, storage and offloading vessel, or FPSO. AFP
A floating production, storage and offloading vessel, or FPSO. AFP
A floating production, storage and offloading vessel, or FPSO. AFP
A floating production, storage and offloading vessel, or FPSO. AFP

Ten men feared dead after oil vessel explodes in Nigeria


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An oil production vessel belonging to Nigeria’s Shebah Exploration & Production Company has exploded, Sepcol's chief executive Ikemefuna Okafor said on Thursday.

Reports of 10 people killed in the incident, involving FPSO Trinity Spirit, have yet to be confirmed.

“At this time there are no reported fatalities, but we can confirm that there were 10 crew men on board the vessel prior to the incident and we are prioritising investigations with respect to their safety and security,” Reuters quoted Mr Okafor as saying.

The incident may prove to be Nigeria's second major environmental setback in three months. In November, a well operated by independent producer Aiteo Eastern E&P Co. blew, spewing oil and gas into the air and surrounding river for five weeks before it was capped.

The Trinity Spirit, with a capacity of 22,000 barrels of oil per day, is a floating production, storage and offloading vessel in Warri south-west, in Delta State. While it is able to store about 2 million barrels of oil, it is not yet clear how much crude was being held on the Trinity Spirit.

Sepcol is in receivership, a form of bankruptcy protection.

Data published by Nigeria’s state-owned energy company show no production from Sepcol's permit in 2020 or 2021, while the country’s oil regulator announced in mid-2019 it was revoking the license.

Investigations are under way to establish the cause of the explosion, which occurred in the early hours of Wednesday, Mr Okafor said.

The vessel was still on fire on Thursday morning, Idris Musa, director general of the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency, told Bloomberg.

“From the environment angle, we are putting in efforts to prevent damage beyond the current burning of the contents” of the ship, he said.

Chevron, which has a plant nearby, people living locally are supporting efforts to contain the blaze.

Race 3

Produced: Salman Khan Films and Tips Films
Director: Remo D’Souza
Cast: Salman Khan, Anil Kapoor, Jacqueline Fernandez, Bobby Deol, Daisy Shah, Saqib Salem
Rating: 2.5 stars

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MATCH INFO

Syria v Australia
2018 World Cup qualifying: Asia fourth round play-off first leg
Venue: Hang Jebat Stadium (Malacca, Malayisa)
Kick-off: Thursday, 4.30pm (UAE)
Watch: beIN Sports HD

* Second leg in Australia scheduled for October 10

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Russia's Muslim Heartlands

Dominic Rubin, Oxford

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Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

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Director: James Cameron

Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana

Rating: 4.5/5

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How to apply for a drone permit
  • Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
  • Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
  • Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
  • Submit their request
What are the regulations?
  • Fly it within visual line of sight
  • Never over populated areas
  • Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
  • Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
  • Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
  • Should have a live feed of the drone flight
  • Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
Abu Dhabi traffic facts

Drivers in Abu Dhabi spend 10 per cent longer in congested conditions than they would on a free-flowing road

The highest volume of traffic on the roads is found between 7am and 8am on a Sunday.

Travelling before 7am on a Sunday could save up to four hours per year on a 30-minute commute.

The day was the least congestion in Abu Dhabi in 2019 was Tuesday, August 13.

The highest levels of traffic were found on Sunday, November 10.

Drivers in Abu Dhabi lost 41 hours spent in traffic jams in rush hour during 2019

 

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England Test squad

Ben Stokes (captain), Joe Root, James Anderson, Jonny Bairstow, Stuart Broad, Harry Brook, Zak Crawley, Ben Foakes, Jack Leach, Alex Lees, Craig Overton, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts

 
Living in...

This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.

Updated: February 03, 2022, 11:11 AM