The spill, which took place on February 16, was reported the next day in Obololi, a coastal community situated along the River Nun in the Southern Ijaw Local Government Area, as stated by Mr. Chukuwemka Woke, the Director-General of the National Oil Spills Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA).
In a statement released on Friday, SPDC spokesperson Mr. Michael Adande confirmed the suspension and indicated that response measures are currently being implemented.
“The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC), operator of the SPDC Joint Venture (SPDC JV), confirms that its Oil Spill Response Team has identified a leak from one of the SPDC JV assets located in the Obololi community, Southern Ijaw LGA of Bayelsa State,” Adande stated.
“The team immediately isolated the line and suspended production into the line. The regulatory authorities and other stakeholders have been notified. Plans to conduct a regulator-led Joint Investigation Visit (JIV) to determine the cause and impact of the spill are ongoing.”
SPDC hasn't shared how much oil production has been impacted by the shutdown, but the 16-inch pipeline is responsible for moving crude from several oil fields in Bayelsa to the company's manifold in Kolo.
On Thursday, NOSDRA mentioned that they still don't know what caused the leak or how much oil has leaked out, especially since the pipeline runs under the river. They've suggested rerouting the river into a temporary dam to help investigators reach the spill area.
Chief Target Segibo, the Chairman of Southern Ijaw LGA, has promised to provide an alternative water source for the affected community, as the spill has polluted the Nun River, which locals rely on.
Environmentalists and community leaders are worried about how the spill will affect marine life and the residents who depend on the river for their livelihoods.
The full extent of the environmental damage and the timeline for cleanup efforts are still up in the air as investigations are ongoing.
This marks the third oil spill from a Shell facility this year. Nairametrics reported that Shell has faced over 130 spills in 2024 alone. Additionally, Nigeria has seen at least 589 oil spills this year, based on data from NOSDRA. Just yesterday, NOSDRA signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with F1 Consulting to tackle oil spills in the Niger Delta and other oil-producing regions in Nigeria.