Shell Reports 122% Rise In Oil Spills In Nigeria In 2024

Shell Plc has reported 20 operational spill incidents of more than 100 kilograms of crude oil in 2024for its its Nigerian subsidiary, Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited.

SPDC is the operator of the SPDC joint venture in Nigeria.

This represents a 122% increase when compared to the 9 spill incidents that were reported in 2023, the company said in its 2024 Annual Report and Accounts.

According to the report, the increase in the number of operational spill incidents was largely because of a rise in cases of failure due to factory defects in a locally manufactured clamp used in pipeline repairs following the removal of illegal connections.

The company that manufactured the clamps has recalled the affected batch, and SPDC has commenced the replacement of the clamps.

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According to the report, in 2024, the volume of operational spills of oil and oil products was 0.37 thousand tonnes compared with 0.005 thousand tonnes reported in 2023.

The majority (89%) of the 2024 volume relates to two significant incidents, one onshore on the Trans Niger Pipeline and the other offshore at a terminal loading buoy, the company said.

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

Shell reported that in 2024, about 81% of crude oil spill incidents of more than 100 kilograms from SPDC JV facilities were caused by the illegal activities of third parties.

In 2024, the volume of crude oil spills of more than 100 kilograms caused by crude theft and sabotage was 2.0 thousand tonnes (84 incidents), compared with 1.4 thousand tonnes (139 incidents) in 2023. The decrease in the number of incidents in 2024 shows an increased effectiveness of anti-theft protection mechanisms.

The report stated that in 2024, SPDC JV continued on-ground surveillance of its areas of operation, including its pipeline network, to mitigate third-party interference and ensure that spills are detected and responded to as quickly as possible.

It noted that regular surveillance flights and drones are used to inspect the most vulnerable segments of the pipeline network, monitor security, and identify any new spills or illegal activity.

SPDC JV continued to install and improve anti-theft protection mechanisms for key infrastructure, such as wellheads and manifolds. These include protective measures such as cages, anti-theft nuts, and improved CCTV and networking capabilities. These measures continue to help deter theft and improve response.

SPDC JV continued to work with the government security agencies in 2024 to maintain surveillance and address illegal activities of third parties, primarily along the SPDC JV pipelines and their operational areas.