Shell reports oil spill in Rivers community, blames saver pit overflow

Shell Petroleum has confirmed an oil spill at Ogale, near Port Harcourt, following an overflow from a saver pit during flushing operations.

According to a Shell spokesperson, the company’s spill response team quickly contained the overflow and notified the relevant authorities. Plans are already underway for a joint regulatory inspection to assess the cause and impact of the spill.

Meanwhile, the Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC-Nigeria) reported that the spill started when crude oil from an underground pit began flowing into a pipeline that separates an area of the Ogoni cleanup project.

This latest incident adds to the long history of oil spills in the Niger Delta, which have caused severe environmental degradation, destroyed livelihoods, and posed serious health risks to local communities.

Authorities are expected to conduct a full investigation to determine the extent of the damage and ensure remediation efforts are carried out.