Shell / Community Debunks Gas Explosion From Soku Pipeline In Bonny

Responding to a virtual enquiry by Kristina Reports, Shell’s Head of Media Relations, Michael Adande stated that there was no incident at Soku Gas Plant, pointing out that Shell’s assets have been divested to Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited.

Country Chair, Shell Companies in Nigeria, Osagie Osunbor
“All good at Soku Gas Plant. Soku Gas Plant is not affected by any incident.”

“Hope you know that SPDC assets have been officially acquired by Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited. We have been in the news about this.”

He noted, however, that there were other facilities in the Soku Field and if there were any incidents, their owners should be contacted.

“If there was an incident on other assets in Soku, please, contact the asset owner/operator.”

In the same vein, the leadership of Soku Kingdom in Rivers State says news reports of an explosion at the Soku Gas Plant was false, stating that such misinformation was “disheartening and worrisome”.

In a statement on Sunday, March 23, 2025, the General Secretary of the Community Development Committee (CDC) of Soku Kingdom, Witness Alasia dismissed the reports as untrue and not factual.

General Secretary, Community Development Committee (CDC), Soku Kingdom, Witness Alasia
“On behalf of the Leadership of Soku Kingdom, I write to debunk the falsehood escalating in all social media that there was an explosion in the Soku Gas Plant.”

“It is disheartening and worrisome that people will mischievously be misinforming the public with a baseless and untrue story.”

“Soku Gas Plant is safe and in a perfect working condition. The public should disregard this unguided and untrue report.”

He stated, however, that there was a fire outbreak on one of the gas pipelines along the Soku-Abua-Rumuji Right of Way.

The said pipeline, which reportedly belongs to the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited (NLNG), supplies gas from the Soku Gas Plant to NLNG’s gas liquefaction plant in Bonny Island, Rivers State.

Alasia asserted that the cause of the explosion was yet unknown and NLNG also was yet to make a comment on the incident, calling on the people and communities in Soku Kingdom to remain calm and go about their lawful activities.

“The cause of the explosion is unknown and the company also has not come up with any useful information.”

“We use this medium to inform the public that Soku and her Satellite Communities are safe and calm.”

A major fire outbreak had occurred along Soku-Abua-Rumuji Right of Way, which eyewitnesses saw from the Soku/Elem/Sangama Creek in Akuku-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State.

The Soku Oil and Gas Field, which is a critical component of Oil Mining License (OML) 23, is said to be owned by Eni, NNPC, Shell and TotalEnergies. Neither of these companies had made any statement yet on the incident.