US oil giant Chevron has announced it will “vigorously” op¬pose a $5 billion lawsuit filed in the United States by Nigeri¬ans residing in the vicinity of a deadly offshore natural gas rig exploration in 2012.
Nigerian coastal residents filed the $5 billion lawsuit in January in a federal court in California, two years after the explosion at Chevron’s offshore gas exploration site killed two workers and burned for 46 days, allegedly poisoning the air and water.
In January 2012, Chevron’s KS Endeavor drilling rig exploded approximate¬ly 6 miles of the coast of Nigeria. The company was in the process of drilling a gas exploration well in the Funiwa field off the Niger Delta at the time.
The Nigerian plaintiffs allege that Chevron’s negligence was to blame for the explosion and they are seeking a ruling that would hold the oil giant liable for economic losses and environmental damages.
The lawsuit alleges that Chevron failed to take the necessary precautions to prevent the explosion and failed to adequately control it with available technol¬ogy.
Prior to the lawsuit, Nigeria’s National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), has recommended a fine of $3 billion dollars against Chevron.
Chevron is the third-largest oil producer in Nigeria.
No comments:
Post a Comment