Perilous
Times
Chevron oil rig burns off Nigeria as damage hits shore
LAGOS, Nigeria — As a fire at a Chevron Corp. gas rig off
Nigeria's coast continues to burn, locals say they're seeing signs
of its effects on the environment and the health of those living
nearby.
A nearby 12-bed clinic remains overrun with patients and swarms of
dead fish have surfaced around the polluted waters that feed
Ikebiri Creek in Nigeria's Bayelsa state. Meanwhile, Chevron
officials decline to give an estimate of when the fire will stop
as residents say the flames threaten their livelihood.
The fire began Jan. 16 from a shallow-water gas well for Chevron's
Nigerian subsidiary near its North Apoi oil platform. It destroyed
the rig and a nearby support vessel, causing tens of millions of
dollars in damage.