SHELL Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) recorded about 15,408 barrels of oil spill in 2011, while about $1.1 million was paid as compensation for perceived damages to host communities as a result of the spills. According to Shell’s latest briefing noted obtained by The Guardian yesterday, the oil multinational could only recover 10,980 barrels of the spill, representing about 72 per cent, as efforts were frustrated by frequent new spills on the same site caused by repeated oil theft and illegal refining.
Shell alleged that the majority of the oil spills in the Niger Delta region were caused by third party interference, mainly sabotage, theft of equipment or leaks caused by crude oil thieves drilling into pipelines or opening well heads.
It stated that such third party interference has accounted for 74 per cent of oil spill incidents and 73 per cent of all oil volumes spilled from SPDC facilities in the delta over the last five years.
Shell however confirmed that the rest of the volume is unfortunately caused by operational failures, such as equipment and human error.
“Any spill is a serious concern and SPDC staff and contractors are working hard to eliminate operational spill incident,” is stated.
Shell said it has therefore initiated strategies to make it harder for saboteurs to steal oil and pollute the environment.
“In 2010, we completed a programme to make it difficult to tamper with more than 100 wells in Ogoni land that have been shut down since 1993.” It said, adding that unless effective action is taken against the widespread sabotage, crude oil theft and illegal refining activities, SPDC’s efforts to reduce operational spills will have limited effect on the overall impact of spill in the delta.
It worried that sometimes, individuals or community groups or armed gangs deny the company access to spill sites.
“In some cases, this is because they are angry or worried about the impact on their land and their lives. In other cases, it is because some members of the communities want clean up contracts or greater compensation. SPDC is working to improve its performance in these difficult circumstances while operating in a very challenging environment.” It stated.
The oil firm said it recorded a significant improvement in clean-up and remediation performance in 2011, adding that a total196 sites were cleaned up in the year including 37 spills carried over from 2010.
It identified the most noteworthy of the spills as that of Ejama-Ebubu spill site caused by damage to Trans Niger Pipeline during the Biafra war in 1969, saying the clean-up begun in 2006, after the community finally granted SPDC access to the site, and it is expected to be completed in 2012.
It added: “After initial clean-up, the majority of the sites need remediation. In 2011, there were 627 spill sites (including new 2011 spills) that required remediation. By January 2012, 351 had been remediated and certified leaving 276 to complete. The remediation of four of the five remaining pre-2005 spills have been completed and work is on-going at the last sites”.
However, SPDC said it replaced 208 killometers of flowlines and pipeline in 2011
Source: OgoniNews
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