New Shell oil spill reported in Nigeria

On Sunday, November 13, energy giant Shell reported it was taking the necessary steps to contain a new oil spill in an onshore delta in Nigeria, the most recent in a line of leaks that have left the company confounded, Reuters reports.

According to the new source, the Okordia/Rumuekpe pipeline in the Niger Delta sprung a leak in the same location where a fire led the company to temporarily halt production. Similar leaks have been occurring throughout the region lately, as oil thieves have allegedly been tapping into the miles of unguarded pipes that traverse the landscape.

“SPDC (Shell joint venture) contained a spill on the Adibawa delivery line which was reported yesterday. We dispatched our spill containment team to the site as soon as we received the reports, and the leak has been contained,” the company said in a statement.

Such spills are often controlled by products from Impact Absorbents, such as the ColdForm Bonded Oil-Only Absorbent Pads, which are said to be up to 40 percent more absorbent than polypropylene.

According to the Agence France-Presse, investigators are examining the spill to determine the exact cause of the leak. Initial reports from Environmental Rights Action have eliminated sabotage as a factor, and claim it is clearly a “case of equipment failure.” 

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