Locals find “crude oil” in Ghana’s Volta Region

There is excitement among the people of Jumbo when a hand-dug well being sunk for Mr Kofi Gyato, farmer for domestic purposes, begun to yield an oily substance suspected to be crude oil.

Jumbo, a small town lies between the Nkwanta North and South district and the substance, which some say smells like diesel and kerosene was discovered flowing after the well diggers reached the 10-metre depth.

Mr Gyato said harmattan or dry seasons are good periods for digging wells for when water was struck in those times, the resource could be sustainable all year round.

He said initially when the diggers noticed the layer of oil in the well they thought someone had intentionally poured the substance into the well.

Mr Gyato said the substances have been harvested into “Jerry” cans and other containers for testing purposes but more of the substance keeps flowing with promising yields.

Mr Paul Levin Gyato, Nkwanta North District Chief, said checks from the Chinese Jianzhi International Corporation, a road construction firm, located some 400 metres away have proved negative about leakages from their  fuel dump.

He said mechanic shops and fuel stations could not be sited within the vicinity of the well to suggest that the development stemmed from seepages.

Mr Gyato called on state institutions and academic researchers to assist them in ascertain the content and the extent of the discovered flow.

He said security personnel have been deployed to guard the discovery.

Mr Emmanuel Mozart Attah, a geologist and Chief Executive of Water Plus Drilling Company Limited, told the Ghana News Agency that the discovery demands more investigations.

He said parts of the Northern Volta region and the three northern regions are sitting on shale rock formations which is a potential receptacle for oil more so the area is an inland basin capable of containing more oil deposits.

The geologists said a distinguishing feature between oil and water is the property of not mixing.

Source: GNA