ABUJA, Nigeria, Aug. 12 (UPI) -- Shell said a U.N. environment report regarding oil spills in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria charts an important path toward addressing the issue.
The U.N. Environment Report, in findings published last week, said oil pollution from more than 50 years of operations in the Ogoniland region of Nigeria is far worse than previously suspected.
UNEP said that although some surface areas look clean, they are "severely contaminated underground." At one well, contamination of benzene, a chemical found in oil and a known carcinogen, was 900 times greater than safety guidelines. At another groundwater site, an oil from a spill reported six year ago left a slick that was 3 inches thick.
Mutiu Sunmonu, managing director of Shell Petroleum Co. of Nigeria Ltd., said in a statement the UNEP report makes valuable contributions toward addressing environmental issues.
"I agree completely with the UNEP report that we also need the authorities to take concerted action to curb the illegal activities, in particular oil theft and refining, that are exacerbating so many of the environmental and social issues," he said. "Unless these activities are brought to a halt, any action we take will be of limited impact."
Shell last week acknowledged responsibility for two oil spills in the Niger Delta and said it was prepared for the consequences as outlined in Nigerian law.
The United Nations estimated that at least 6,800 oil spills occurred in the area from 1976-2001. The UNEP report was criticized because it was backed by Shell.
