Sibout Nooteboom
Technical secretary
The national environmental agency of Bénin, ABE, asked NCEA's advice about the review of an ESIA for the Sèmè Oilfield Redevelopment Project.
Significant details
South Atlantic Petroleum Benin, SA (Sapetro) aimed to develop this marine oil field which is located offshore. The former owner of the field had stopped production. The site has a water depth of less than 30 m, and is located 15 km off Benin, east of Cotonou. An in-depth environmental impact assessment was required before the construction of the proposed project. The secretariat of the NCEA recommended amongs other things to develop an emergency plan to set up spill containment and clean-up equipment; to develop a method of warning the authorities in case of emergency, and from there, warning of the populations and other countries concerned; to develop the capacities of those responsible for implementing the measures provided for in the emergency response plan; to compensation damage inflicted due to possible accidents. Sapetro Oil later withdrew its project.