COMMENTARY
I am not sure what to make of this story. When I first heard ther news, the fire had already been burning for 20 days, but was not in the news at all. I have been on the record on and off for about 40 years that the behavior of the international oil industry in the Niger delta are has been obscene, but of no concern to the big international oil companies because it was invisible to the international media.

For example, I worked on an analysis of artisanal fisheries in the area in the early 1990s and saw the pollution in the various arms of the Niger delta that was making local artisanal fishing impossible. Local fisheries is local and their political power is minimal. Big oil can do what it wants because it has the money to buy anything and anyone. The situation is disgusting ... and would be illegal if the rule of law had any meaning.

I am hopeful that the transparency that comes from good independent media will start to clean up the mess that is the international big oil industry. Shame on them all, and in this case, especially Chevron.
Peter Burgess

Fear over Nigeria oil rig fire Locals in Niger Delta complain of health problems, but Chevron says two-week-old blaze is causing no harm.

http://youtu.be/6Gdz2LA9eig

A fire at an American-owned gas rig in the Niger Delta is still burning two weeks after an accident started the blaze.

Locals say the fumes are causing massive environmental damage and health problems. But the oil firm Chevron, which owns the rig, denies the fire is causing any harm.

Al Jazeera's Yvonne Ndege reports

Source: Al Jazeera