By Adedapo Adesanya
The National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) has disclosed that Nigeria recorded 168 incidents of oil spills as oil and gas companies operating in the country spilt 5,520 barrels of crude oil between January and August 2023.
NOSDRA, in its latest oil spill data for the period under review, noted that the spill occurred in the facilities of 23 oil firms.
Out of these firms, Shell Petroleum Development Company recorded the highest spill volume of 4,340 barrels of crude oil in 43 spill incidents, representing 78.62 per cent of total crude oil spilt in the period under review.
Heritage Energy Operational Service Limited followed as it spilt 24 323.20 barrels of crude oil in 24 incidents, while Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) spilt 248.86 barrels of crude oil in 38 incidents.
In six spill incidents, Heirs Holding Oil and Gas Limited spilt 128.10 barrels of crude oil; Seplat Petroleum Development Company spilt 104.88 barrels of crude oil in seven incidents; National Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) spilt 92.33 barrels in 16 incidents, while Enageed Resources Limited polluted the environment with the spillage of 72 barrels of crude oil in three spill incidents.
NOSDRA disclosed that Rivers State was the worst hit state with oil spillage, as 2,780 barrels of crude oil was spilt in the state in 67 incidents, followed by Delta, with 2,623 barrels of crude oil spilt in 76 incidents, while Edo, Imo, Bayelsa and Akwa Ibom recorded spill volumes of 70.04 barrels, 22.30 barrels, 18.39 barrels and 1.06 barrels, respectively.
The environmental regulator further stated that most of the spill incidents were recorded from crude oil pipelines, with 3,113 barrels of crude oil spilt from the pipelines in 114 incidents.
It added that in eight incidents, 1,951 barrels of crude were spilt by oil companies from the wellhead, while spills from flow lines, flow stations and trunk lines stood at 117.7 barrels, 110.03 barrels and 106.13 barrels, respectively.
Furthermore, NOSDRA reported that 5,122 barrels of crude oil, representing 92.78 per cent of oil spilt in the eight-month period, was a result of theft and sabotage, while 228.22 barrels of crude oil spilt in 16 incidents were due to corrosion.
It added that 2,402 barrels of crude oil were spilt on land, 2,378 barrels of crude oil were spilt on swampy terrain, and 525.01 barrels of crude oil were spilt on seasonal swampy terrain.
