Newly disclosed internal company documents reveal that British multinational energy giant Shell continued operating a major oil pipeline in Nigeria despite internal warnings that it violated the company’s own technical standards. The files, which include emails, audits, technical assessments, and presentations, were obtained through ongoing legal proceedings in the United Kingdom brought by communities in the Niger Delta seeking accountability for decades of oil spills.
Internal Shell Files Expose Long-Standing Pipeline Negligence
According to internal documents obtained via UK litigation, senior Shell executives were warned as early as October 2008 about the risks of continuing to pump millions of barrels of unrefined fuel through the Nembe Creek Trunk Line.
The Nembe Creek Trunk Line and Environmental Toll
The 60-mile (96.5-kilometre) Nembe Creek Trunk Line was one of Shell’s largest, most expensive, and most problematic transport assets in Nigeria, capable of carrying up to 150,000 barrels of crude daily from inland oil fields to a coastal export processing site. The pipeline runs near the riverine Bille community, which consists of 45 islands. Residents describe once-thriving fishing grounds turning toxic following repeated leaks, vandalism, and crude theft.
Communities involved in the international lawsuit against Shell are seeking $1 billion, including $750 million specifically designated to clean up environmental damage. A new report titled Nigeria: Lifting the Lid, published by Amnesty International alongside a coalition of human rights and environmental organizations, analyzes the disclosed documents and highlights an internal presentation stating that 375 square kilometres of mangrove forest have been harmed by pollution. The report also notes an internal Shell decommissioning estimate of US$10.9 billion prior to the company’s decision to divest its onshore business.
Legal Dismissal Sparks Rejection and Appeal Plans
Meanwhile, legal battles over environmental damage face procedural hurdles in Nigerian courts. The Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) recently rejected the dismissal of a lawsuit filed by the Ekpetiama Kingdom against the Shell Petroleum Development Company and other defendants over decades of environmental pollution in Bayelsa State. Justice Ayo Emmanuel of the Federal High Court in Yenagoa dismissed the suit on procedural grounds, citing failure to comply with statutory requirements under the Petroleum Industry Act 2021 and the Upstream Petroleum Remediation Funds Regulations 2022, while also applying limitation laws under the Public Officers Protection Act and the Bayelsa State Limitation Law.
HOMEF criticised the ruling for failing to address the substantive environmental harm suffered by the Ekpetiama people over more than six decades. The legal team representing the Ekpetiama Kingdom has indicated its intention to challenge the judgment.
Shell’s Position and Wider Context
For decades, Shell has maintained that the vast majority of pollution in the Niger Delta stems from large-scale oil theft, sabotage, and dozens of illegal refineries operated by criminal gangs siphoning crude into boats or storage tanks. In response to the latest findings, Shell stated that the characterization of the company in Amnesty International’s letter is not recognized, emphasizing its commitment to honesty, integrity, and ethical business practices while arguing that findings do not reflect the challenging operating environment at the time.
Campaigners note that the newly revealed documents cut through years of public denial regarding what company leadership knew about infrastructure risks and environmental impacts in the region.
Worth a look
