…SPDC leads with 3,973 barrels in 54 incidents
*Oil spill-impacted site in Bodo, Niger Delta.
Abuja — Nigeria suffered 327 oil spill incidents, with the loss of 17,169.872 barrels of crude oil in 2020, according to data obtained from the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency, NOSDRA.
Using average crude oil price of $45 per barrel for the period and average exchange rate of N379 to a dollar, the loss of 17,169.872 barrels of crude oil translates to a loss of $772,644.22, an equivalent of N292.83 million.
In a report on oil spill for 2020 published recently, NOSDRA stated that 10 out of the 327 oil spill incidents did not witness Joint Investigation Visit, JIV, by its team and other relevant agencies; while 68 of these had no estimated quantity of oil spill provided by the company.
It noted that there were no major oil spills, a situation where over 250 barrels of crude oil were spilled into inland waters, or over 2,500 barrels spilled on land, swamp, shoreline and open sea.
However, it added that 18 medium oil spills were recorded as well as 228 minor spills, noting that 77 of the oil spills could not be categorised.
The NOSDRA report explained that medium oil spills involves a situation where 25 to 250 barrels of crude oil were spilled into inland waters, or 250 to 2,500 barrels spilled on land, swamp, shoreline and open sea; while minor oil spillage involved up to 25 barrels of crude oil spilled into inland waters, or 250 barrels spilled on land, swamp, shoreline and open sea.
It further stated that 139 cases of the spills were under 10 barrels of crude oil in size.
In the oil spill by company category, NOSDRA stated that Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC, recorded the highest oil spill incidents and volume spilled in 2020, with 3,973.79 barrels of crude oil spilled in 54 incidents.
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Eroton Exploration and Production Limited followed with 3,128.25 barrels of crude oil spilled in nine incidents; while Nigerian Agip Oil Company, NAOC, spilled 411.13 barrels in 15 incidents.
Aiteo Exploration and Production, in four incidents, recorded 405 barrels of oil spills; while Total Exploration and Production Nigeria, Seplat Petroleum Development Company Limited and Addax Petroleum Development Company Nigeria Limited spilled 43.3 barrels of crude oil in five incidents, one barrel of crude oil in seven incidents and 0.02 barrels of crude oil in two incidents, respectively.
In addition, Mobil Producing Unlimited recorded three oil spill incidents with less than a barrel of crude oil spilled, while Chevron Nigeria Limited; Heritage Energy Operational Service Limited; Pipelines and Products Marketing Company, PPMC; and Platform Petroleum Limited, all recorded one oil spill incident each.
