The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC) has assured that the recent oil spill at the Bonny Oil Export Terminal will not stop the country’s oil exports. SPDC clarified that the spill only affected one of the three loading buoys at the terminal, and it has been separated to avoid more problems.
In a statement issued on Monday, December 16, 2024, Gladys Afam-Anadu, SPDC’s spokesperson, confirmed that the cause of the oil sheen detected on December 8, 2024, is under investigation. The company also noted that the volume of crude oil discharge is being determined.
Following the incident, oil loading operations were immediately suspended, and SPDC’s Emergency Response Team was activated. Regulatory authorities and key stakeholders have been told about what happened, and a team from the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) will visit the place to find out what caused it.
Afam-Anadu said that keeping the local communities and the environment safe and healthy are the company’s top priority. SPDC’s environmental team is watching the situation closely and getting ready to clean up and control the spill to reduce any harm to the environment.
The Bonny Oil Export Terminal is an important part of Nigeria’s system for sending oil to other countries. It can handle up to 1.25 million barrels of Bonny Light crude oil each day. However, the incident has not impacted overall oil export activities as the affected loading buoy represents only a portion of the terminal’s capacity.
