In Senegal, the people of Ngadiaga in the Thiès region are still worried after the fire that broke out against a natural gas well last weekend. A US agent working at the scene was injured. The fire was still active on Tuesday night. A first in the country. Has there been a failure? The authorities are trying to calm down.
as reported from Dakar, Charlotte idrac
After the panic, the questions. After the spectacular fire that broke out on Saturday, December 19, the residents of Ngadiaga are in “danger” according to the municipality’s mayor. Drilling work began on well number 11, in the test phase, on a gas field that has been operated jointly since 2000 by the national company Petrosen and a subsidiary of the American group Fortesa. A small amount of gas is produced on site, “30,000 to 35,000 cubic meters per day” according to Petrosen.
Experts talk about a “gas flood” and a spark from a generator set the well lit. Since then, the firefighters have been working hard, but lack the technical means to meet this unprecedented event. Specialists from the American oil company Halliburton must give them a hand. Extinguishing the fire can take up to fifteen days, explains Petrosen, communications manager. Problem: It is not known how much gas is still in the well.
Authorities assure him: the fire poses no risk to residents. But as Senegal prepares for large-scale offshore gas exploitation, Petrosen acknowledges this: this event proves the need to consolidate national expertise to secure installations.
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