wellhead

The company said: "We take extensive steps to prevent this activity and the spills it causes including aerial surveillance, removing illegal connections on pipelines, and by building steel cages to protect wellheads."

“So we need the carbon filter moved to our wellhead. That’s what all of us need.”

Starting the field is expected to take intensive engineering work and subsea inspections to check its wellhead integrity, which have not been made in years, experts said.

Idris Musa, head of the National Oil Spills Detection and Response Agency said on Sunday Eroton had reported the spill to authorities, blaming it on a leak from a wellhead.

If a suitable area is found, a wellhead is constructed.