September 6,2022

Shell Petroleum Development of Nigeria Limited said on Monday that it had commenced

investigation into the August 24 oil spill that occurred around its facility in Bayelsa State.

A spokesman for the SPDC, Mr Michael Adande, disclosed this in a statement.

The spill incident, which happened at the SPDC’s Diebu Creek flow station in the Southern Ijaw Local Government Area, was said to have discharged an unconfirmed volume of crude oil into the ecosystem of Peremabiri community.

The community people had cried out over the destruction of flora and fauna in their area by the spillage, and accused the oil firm of insensitivity and neglect.

They said the delayed response to the spill by the SPDC resulted in damage to the land and marine environment, impacting a wider area.

Adande, while confirming receipt of the report of the spill by SPDC said, “We are working with regulators and local community to investigate the reported incident

The Diebu Creek stopped injection into the Trans Niger Pipeline in mid-June 2022 owing to constant breaches of the TNP by crude oil thieves.

The TNP is currently undergoing tests with water main flushing.”

Residents said the spewing of huge volumes of crude into the environment had polluted the Nun River, swamps and farmlands and rivulets, causing untold hardship to the predominantly fishing

and farming settlement.

The Chairman of Peremabiri Community Development Committee, Mr Return Koma, said on officials

of SPDC had convened a Joint Investigative Visit to the flow station and impacted site.

“They called to say that they are coming for a JIV on Tuesday and shortly they shifted it to today being Monday, so we are waiting,” Koma said

He said the outcome of the JIV would reveal the actual cause of the spill, estimated volume of spill and impacted area