Shell is 'responsible for Niger Delta oil leaks'

A UK court ruling means that oil company Shell can now be held accountable for the devastating leaks that have led to severe contamination of the Niger Delta, Nigeria. On June 20th, the London Technological and Construction Court announced that Shell was responsible for taking steps to protect its pipelines in the region, meaning it must take steps to avoid future leaks.

The Niger Delta area has become hugely polluted over the last few years due to the large number of oil leaks that occur there. Shell has blamed the vast majority of leaks on vandalism or oil theft, refusing to disclose information on the condition or age of its pipelines in the region. However, despite stating that illegal activities are responsible for the spills, the oil company has taken no steps to protect its pipelines.

This latest decision is an important one for the Niger Delta and has taken years to achieve. The oil contamination in the area has had an enormous impact on those living in the region, who often rely upon the water for their livelihoods. The court's ruling is part of a civil claim that was lodged against Shell by the Bodo Community, which has been greatly affected by oil spills in 2008 and 2009, both a result of an old and leaking Shell pipeline.

Judge Robert Akenhead delivered the judgement that Shell is responsible for taking steps to avoid oil leaks in the region. He said that the oil firm must take reasonable steps to protect the vulnerable infrastructure, including installing surveillance equipment, leak detection systems and anti-tamper equipment. None of this equipment is currently installed in Shell's Nigerian fields, despite the fact that it is mandatory in oilfields throughout the developed world.

This is the first time that Shell's environmental record in Nigeria has been on trial within a British court. While those affected by oil spills in Nigeria can take their claims to the country's own courts, the cases can take years to reach a decision and often do not provide suitable compensation. In the past, Shell has only provided compensation when an oil leak has been caused by an equipment failure.