The specialists who are from Booth and Coot, a United States based company according to SPDC officials are just to cap the well. They are however, to be joined by two commissioners from Rivers State and crew of Shell staff. The fixing of the well head, Shell official said, would not take time. After successfully fixing the well head then a clean up exercise would begin in earnest so as to reduce the environmental impact of the spill.
Local contractors are to be employed to carry out the exercise.
As at Friday work has started in the environment where the incident occurred but the spillage was still on as the pressure from the pipeline was high. A Shell official explained that they have to bring in the expatriates because they can do capping of the well head faster, because they are specialist in the field. He said that Shell did not invite people within to handle the job, is not because it does not have confidence in its workers or Nigerians but because it wanted the work to be done faster and neat too. He stated that Shell would continue to give relief materials to those communities that are affected by the spillage. The multinational company decided to invite the expatriates in order to stem down any possible protest from the Ogoni community a source said.