The Chevron-chartered rig, KS Endeavor, continues to burn off the Nigerian coast amid claims that crude oil has been washed ashore. Director General of Nigeria鈥檚 National Oil Spill Detection & Response Agency (Nosdra), Peter Ldabor, has said 鈥淎 crude oil spill from the facility was spotted by the surveillance around the KS Endeavor and along the shoreline.鈥� He went on, claiming that several coastal communities had been affected.
This news comes as something of a shock as the rig was supposed to be drilling a gas exploration well and Ian Laidlaw, the operations manager at Fode Drilling, a joint owner of the rig, had stated that there had been no oil spill: 鈥淩ight from the very beginning it was gas coming out. There was no oil coming out. There might be smoke.鈥� The deputy director of public affairs at the Nigerian Department of Petroleum Resources, Belema Osibodu, was less keen to comment, stating only that: 鈥渋nvestigations are underway right now. We are still investigating.鈥�
Investigations continue in the light of Chevron鈥檚 decision to call off a search for two missing personnel, one Indian and one French national. The company offered its 鈥渟incere condolences to the families of the missing individuals.鈥�