Shell Announces 122% Increase in Nigeria’s Oil Spill Incidents 

Shell Plc has announced a disturbing rise in oil spill incidents in Nigeria, with a 122% increase in operational spills recorded in 2024.

According to the company’s 2024 Annual Report and Accounts, the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC) reported 20 operational spill incidents of more than 100 kilograms of crude oil, up from 9 incidents in 2023.

The report attributes the increase in operational spills to a rise in cases of failure due to factory defects in a locally manufactured clamp used in pipeline repairs.

The company that manufactured the clamps has since recalled the affected batch, and SPDC has commenced replacing the clamps.

The volume of operational spills of oil and oil products also increased significantly, from 0.005 thousand tonnes in 2023 to 0.37 thousand tonnes in 2024. The majority of the 2024 volume, 89%, relates to two significant incidents: one onshore on the Trans Niger Pipeline and the other offshore at a terminal loading buoy.

The report highlights that 81% of crude oil spill incidents of more than 100 kilograms from SPDC JV facilities were caused by the illegal activities of third parties, including crude theft and sabotage.

In 2024, the volume of crude oil spills caused by these activities was 2.0 thousand tonnes, resulting from 84 incidents, compared to 1.4 thousand tonnes from 139 incidents in 2023.

SPDC JV has an ongoing work program to appraise, maintain, and replace key sections of pipelines and low lines to reduce the number of operational spills.

The company also continued on-ground surveillance of its areas of operation, including its pipeline network, to detect and respond to spills quickly.

The significant increase in oil spills in Nigeria has raised concerns among environmentalists and communities affected by the spills.

The Nigerian government has been urged to take stronger measures to prevent oil spills and hold companies accountable for their actions.