30 January 2017, Lagos – An environmental scientist, Ms Benita Siloko, has disagreed with Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC, on the impact of the 550 barrels of crude discharged into Ogboinbiri river in Bayelsa State in 2015.
SPDC had on March 5, 2015, confirmed that an oil leak from its underwater line within its oil fields in Ogboinbiri, Bayelsa, discharged some 550 barrels of crude oil into Ogboinbiri River on January 23, 2015.
However, Siloko, an environmental scientist at Connected Development, CODE, said in Yenagoa that the stance of SPDC on the oil leak incident was “strange and worrisome.”
She noted that a volume of 550 barrels of crude oil, amounting to about 110,000 litres, was too massive and, therefore, not negligible.
The environmental scientist, who was reacting to the statement by SPDC on the oil spill, noted that position of the oil firm was not factual and had no scientific basis.
“To claim that an accidental discharge of about 550 barrels as admitted by SPDC had no impact is dishonest and false, it is certain that there must be something wrong somewhere between the oil firm and the Bayelsa Ministry of Environment,” Siloko said.
Mr Joseph Obari, SPDC Spokesperson said that Seibou 2 oil spill, which occurred on January 23, 2015, was adequately contained within SPDC’s right of way and cleaned up.