Shell operated Nigeria pipeline for years despite internal pollution warnings, Report

Shell continued operating a key oil pipeline in Nigeria for years, even as internal documents revealed mounting concerns about its safety and environmental risks. Newly disclosed company records, including emails and technical assessments obtained by the BBC through ongoing litigation in the UK, show Shell executives repeatedly flagged issues with the Nembe Creek Trunk Line (NCTL).

The NCTL, a 96.5-kilometer pipeline that Shell sold last year, was a critical asset for transporting crude oil from inland fields to export facilities. It had the capacity to move about 150,000 barrels daily but was plagued by leaks, vandalism, and theft. The revelations come amid ongoing scrutiny of decades of environmental damage in Nigeria's Niger Delta, where oil spills have severely impacted wetlands, mangroves, and fishing communities.

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If there is another massive explosive attack tomorrow… then we could well find ourselves in the situation of simply having to close the production down.

Concerns about the pipeline's condition date back nearly two decades. An email exchange from October 2008 shows senior executives debating whether to continue operating the pipeline outside standard technical guidelines. Markus Droll, then Shell's technical vice-president, warned that another major attack could force production shutdowns and questioned the adequacy of safeguards, noting that sections of the pipeline might already be compromised.

Communities near the NCTL are pursuing legal action, seeking $1 billion in damages. Their lawsuit targets pollution from over 100 oil leaks between 2011 and 2013, with claims including $250 million in compensation and $750 million for environmental remediation. Residents in areas like the Bille community report ongoing environmental issues, including subterranean toxic gas emissions and a decline in local aquatic species.

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I don’t agree that funding can be an issue. Sorry if I sound like a broken record on this, but th