Another Shell Oil Spill Contaminates Taylor Creek In Bayelsa

A new oil spill, in the Taylor Creek in Yenagoa, Bayelsa, was today reported by residents of Ikarama, Crude oil pipelines belonging to both Shell and Agip traverse the community, residents of which reported spills from nearby oil wells.  Although the specific source of the spill could not immediately be identified by the community, the oil fields are notorious for frequent pipeline sabotage caused by crude oil thieves.
It will be recalled that on March 23, Agip shut down its onshore crude production facilities in Bayelsa due to unsustainable levels of oil theft.
The company said that oil theft from its facilities in the state accounted for a daily loss of 7,000 barrels out of its 40,000 barrels crude production and declared ``force majeure"  on its oil output.
Morris Alagoa, an environmental rights activist and Head of the Bayelsa Office of Environmental Rights Action, a non-governmental organization, speculated that the source could either ne Agip or Shell, as the two firms have operations in the area.
Confirming that field monitors of Environmental Rights ACTION/Friends of the Earth Nigeria [ERA/FoEN] were informed of a spreading crude oil slick on the Taylor Creek, Alagoa said, "The information had it that the oil slick was sighted at Ikarama community, in Okordia clan and that it was suspected to be coming from either JK4 in Ahoada West local government area of Rivers owned by Shell or from Biseni; in Yenagoa local government area of Bayelsa operated by Agip."
Moses Onyah, an indigene of the area, provided a different dimension today when he said that the spill started on April 28, noting that although they heard of the spill last Sunday, the incident must have occurred in the night of 27th. But for the spraying into the air which attracted passersby, he said they wouldn't have known in time.
"SPDC came to stop/clamp the ruptured point on 30th April, 2013.As per the cause of spill, we are not sure; but SPDC claimed it was sabotage," he said.  
Onyah further stated, "The crude oil flowed into the water channel and down it goes into the Taylor Creek. The Taylor Creek is not far from here; if people say they saw crude oil spreading to their community, it may be from here."
Precious Okolobo, a Shell spokesman, declined to comment on the development, saying his company would react shortly.