ODAHIEKWU OGUNDE, Yenagoa
Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria, has reported that it has so far recorded 51 leaks from its oil production activities in the Niger Delta this year.
The SPDC made this known in a data obtained from its ‘Spills Incident Portal’ on Tuesday.
The SPDC management indicated in the report that 44 of such spill incidents were traced to sabotage by vandals while seven of the leaks were caused by operational factors.
It said in May 2021, eight spills discharged 253.07 barrels of SPDC’s Bonny Light crude blend into the environment, noting that of the eight spills recorded, six were caused by sabotage while two were as a result of operational factors.
The data showed that operational spills accounted for 6.07 barrels of the 253.07 barrels while sabotage was responsible for 247 barrels loss.
It also indicated that in 2020, a total of 159 spills were reported with sabotage being responsible for 140 of the spills while operational factors caused 19 of the incidents.
The data said although more spills, totalling 190 were reported in 2019, a similar pattern was observed, with sabotage being responsible for 183 spills and operational issues caused seven leaks.