By Adedapo Adesanya
The National Oil Spills Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) has blamed the recent oil spills that occurred on a pipeline operated by the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited in the Obolo-Ebubu community in Eleme on sabotage.
The Obolo-Ogale pipeline in southern Rivers State feeds the 180,000 barrel-per-day Trans Niger line, one of two conduits to export Bonny Light crude. It had restarted operations this month after being shut down for maintenance in December.
Giving an update after the investigation, the South-South Zonal Director of NOSDRA, Mr Ime Ekanem, who led a joint investigation visit to the spill incident site, said on Monday that the 12-inch Ogale-Ebubu Pipeline in Obolo-Ebubu had an attached 1-inch valve installed at a 12 o’clock position.
Residents had reported a fresh oil spill from a Shell facility in Obolo-Ebubu, Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State, at the weekend.
NOSDRA, which confirmed the spill, had assured of a joint investigation visit scheduled for Sunday with the operator, host community, and officials of the Rivers State Ministry of Environment.
The spill, which became noticeable last Friday, occurred within the Ogale community, where its underground water was already contaminated with benzene, 900 times above the World Health Organisation’s standard, as documented by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
Shell has over the years faced several legal battles over oil spills in the Niger Delta, a region blighted by pollution, conflict, and corruption related to the oil and gas industry.
The company last week announced it was set to conclude nearly a century of operations in Nigerian onshore oil and gas after agreeing to sell SPDC to Renaissance, a consortium of up to $2.4 billion.
Renaissance is owned by ND Western Limited, Aradel Energy Limited, Petrolin Group, First Exploration and Petroleum Development Company Limited, and the Waltersmith Group.
