Gulf oil spill; Hypocrisy showing

Nigerians angry at oil pollution double standards

Nigeria's Niger Delta is one of the most oil-polluted places on the planet with more than 6,800 recorded oil spills, accounting for anywhere from 9 million to 13 million barrels of oil spilled, according to activist groups.

But occurring over the 50 years since oil production began in the Delta, this environmental disaster has never received the attention that is now being paid to the oil-spill catastrophe hitting the U.S. Gulf coast. "The whole world is trembling and even the president of America had to do a personal visit to the site.

The U.S. will have put serious measures in place to stop such situations happening in the future," said Ken Tebe -- a local environmental activist who is visibly shaken by what he regards as a double standard.

The US imports approximately 10% of it's oil from Nigeria, making it Nigeria's 5th largest consumer.

Does the US bear some responsibility for the 50+ year environmental and economical disaster in the Delta? Do the companies operating in the Delta bear some responsibility? Does the Nigerian Govt. bear some responsibility? Where is the breakdown occurring?

According to source 'Amnesty International" the Niger Delta has been experiencing oil spill devastation on par to that of the Exxon Valdez, everyday for the last 50 years.

In its June 2009 report, Petroleum, Pollution and Poverty, Amnesty said independent environmental and oil experts estimated between nine million and 13 million of barrels had leaked in the five decades of oil operations. It also quoted U.N. figures of more than 6,800 recorded spills between 1976 and 2001.

How about ecological consequences to the 3rd largest wetland in the world?

The 700,000-square-kilometer Niger Delta is one of the most important wetlands in the world and home to 31 million people -- 60 percent of whom, according to the U.N. Development Program, depend on the natural environment for their livelihoods.

Reports put environmental damage in the tens of billions of dollars.

Who's responsible?

According to the oil companies - they pay the Nigerian govt. who in turn, are supposed to provide security (from raiders) and investments into ecological restoration.

Point of the story?

While the Gulf Oil Spill is devastating, it's not the only devastating issue going on, by far. While the outrage may be legitimately placed, it's diluted by the lack of outrage for other areas of far worse scope.

There is an oil war going on - not just in the Gulf of Mexico an not just in the Middle East. It's irresponsible to negate, neglect and deflect the entirety of this issue.

CNN link

Nigeria's Oil Spill Crisis


[edit on 1-7-2010 by LadySkadi]

The Nigerians have a great point.

Nobody cares about them. Nobody cares about Africa, in general.

Those who claim to care about not only the Gulf oil spill disaster affects on economy, on ecology, on the world stage, apparently do not care about the Niger Delta oil spill affects on economy, on ecology and on the world stage.

Proof positive, as there are no responses to this issue, since the posting.

Interesting.

Originally posted by LadySkadi

Proof positive, as there are no responses to this issue, since the posting.

Interesting.

Probably because there are atleast 2 other threads about it. Searching Nigeria, oil should easily show those results.

Maybe if you had your discussion there, you would have more results.

reply to post by ThaLoccster


I searched. Thank you.

The last threads were written nearly a month ago.

The issue needs to remain in the forefront. At the very least, on par with the Gulf spill.

Would you not agree?

Things are pretty bad all over the world.

Visit this thread: HOME - The biggest wake up call *FULL HD VIDEO*

And watch this movie: HOME

It's hard to deny that we're either at the end of the industrial age or some kind of crossroad, because this can't continue much longer.

reply to post by Divinorumus


Thank you for adding that video link.

I have this bookmarked to watch tonight, when I have the chance.

Much appreciated!

reply to post by LadySkadi


Not quite, I made mine just 2 weeks ago and someone else made one the next day. I think a new one has been started since.

I think it should be kept up to date sure, but that doesn't mean creating a new thread everytime.

In the end you have atleast 5 threads on this subject, with the information spread out between them all. So to take it all in you have to read them all.

When in the end, you could try to keep all the information localized, it helps with the spread and flow of information.

If new pertinent information warrants a new thread great. But making a new thread to discuss the same topics broached in 5 others just seems like a waste.

Then, you searched, knew there were other threads but made a totally new one anyways.....

Honestly it creates more confusion, than a solid source of information.

And I don't just mean in this topic, but on any topic that has 6 duplicate threads.

reply to post by ThaLoccster


Great. Thank you for your opinion. Now that it is on record, I'd like this thread (unless it is deemed duplicated information and closed by a Moderator) to remain on topic.

Nigeria Delta oil spill world stage and/or how that compares to the attention of the Gulf oil spill.

Peace

Well maybe the Gulf Catastrophe will bring light to ALL of these spills around the world. I was not aware of the Nigerian problem until the GOM disaster. So I really hope it wakes people up to become more aware of our environment as well as other critical issues besides their own tunnel vision.

Thanks for your information!

Originally posted by LadySkadi


The US imports approximately 10% of it's oil from Nigeria, making it Nigeria's 5th largest consumer.

Does the US bear some responsibility for the 50+ year environmental and economical disaster in the Delta?

Sure why not?
As long as the other top 4 also get their fair share of responsibility.



Speaking of which who are they? I hadn't read the link thoroughly. Is there even a mention of the others?

[edit on 1-7-2010 by SLAYER69]

reply to post by SLAYER69


No. They aren't listed in the above linked article, but there are 5 companies operating in the Delta which account for 95% of the crude oil output.

Royal Dutch Shell (British/Dutch)
Chevron (American)
Exxon-Mobile (American)
Agip (Italian)
Total (French)

It's bad for a place to spill 180,000 to 260,000 barrels of oil per year, yes.

But:

a. It doesn't compare to twice that in four or five days, utterly no comparison.

b. The government of Niger is the one primarily responsible for dealing with it, not the US.

c. Since the US is only the fifth largest user of Nigerian oil, my guess is that the others would be China and the EU, so why aren't you pointing out their responsibility?

Since the British Empire was the one who so thoroughly screwed up Africa, why aren't you demanding the Brits do something?

reply to post by apacheman


Great points and I'm not "demanding" anything of the US (solely) what I am trying to do is put the spotlight on another, long standing, impactful and disastrous situation. One that bears little to no standing on the world stage, simply because of location (among other things). My point, in general, is that if one is outraged about the Gulf spill than one must be outraged about the Niger Delta. For every argument that can be placed and/or directed to the Gulf disaster (and make no mistake about it, I believe it is) there is an argument that can be placed for and/or directed to the consequences in the Niger Delta. Why does one carry more weight? I think location, world standing, economics, and politics have an obvious role to play.

Oh another my crisis is worse then your crisis thread. It is not about comparing who has a bigger scar. Any oil spill is a catastrophe and should be treated as such.

And my question is: just why, are the oil companies, so incompetent to allow that much black gold go to waste? Aren't they losing money?

And if it is such an issue for Nigeria, why are they waiting till now, after 5 decades, to say something about it?


And the blood diamonds are a far worse problem in Africa imo.

[edit on 1-7-2010 by nixie_nox]

Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC).
It is an operator of the joint venture, which composed of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (55%), Shell (30%), Total S.A. (10%) and Eni (5%).

Total S.A. (Euronext: FP, NYSE: TOT) is a French oil company.
Eni S.p.A. (BIT: ENI, NYSE: E) is an Italian multinational oil and gas company.
The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) is the state oil corporation through which the federal government of Nigeria regulates and participates in the country's petroleum industry.
Royal Dutch Shell plc, commonly known simply as Shell, is a multinational petroleum company of Dutch and British origins.

en.wikipedia.org...

So why the hell would the USA pay a dime. They don't own any part of the oil company that is doing this.

reply to post by nixie_nox


It's not meant to be a mine vs them, thread. Not in any way.

However, your questions are valid.

I've another one...

Why are we in the US demanding that BP be held accountable for the spill in the Gulf (as they should be, in my opinion) when those 5 companies listed above, are not being held accountable in the Niger Delta?

excellent topic. Most Americans dont even know about the stuff that doesnt happen in their backyard.

or that there even IS anything beyond their backyard.

reply to post by LadySkadi


Over all, that our oceans and waterways are polluted is atrocious, and reprehensible.

From oil spills in Alaska, to the Deepwater Horizon, to Niger it is stupid.

Let me be clear here, these bastards need to be held responsible, period.

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/7e5397fa36ec.jpg[/atsimg]

Nigeria: Oil Spill Disaster Zone: Eugenics Defined


Shell Blamed for 'Cover-Up' of Nigeria Oil Spills


The Secret Truth Of Nigerian Oil They Don't Want You To Know About


[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/25509a13cefd.jpg[/atsimg]

Quote from : Wikipedia : Petroleum Industry In Nigeria : Oil Spills

Oil spills in Nigeria occur due to a number of causes which include: corrosion of pipelines and tankers (accounts for 50% of all spills), sabotage (28%), and oil production operations (21%), with 1% of the spills being accounted for by inadequate or non-functional production equipment.

The largest contributor to the oil spill total, corrosion of pipes and tanks, is the rupturing or leaking of production infrastructures that are described as, "very old and lack regular inspection and maintenance".

A reason that corrosion accounts for such a high percentage of all spills is that as a result of the small size of the oilfields in the Niger Delta, there is an extensive network of pipelines between the fields, as well as numerous small networks of flowlines—the narrow diameter pipes that carry oil from wellheads to flowstations—allowing many opportunities for leaks.

In onshore areas, most pipelines and flowlines are laid above ground. Pipelines, which have an estimate life span of about fifteen years, are old and susceptible to corrosion.

Many of the pipelines are as old as twenty to twenty-five years.

Even Shell admits that "most of the facilities were constructed between the 1960s and early 1980s to the then prevailing standards.

SPDC [Shell Petroleum and Development Company] would not build them that way today."

Shell operates the Bonny Terminal in Rivers State, which has reportedly been in operation for forty years without a maintenance overhaul; its original lifespan was supposed to be twenty five years.

Sabotage is performed primarily through what is known as "bunkering",whereby the saboteur attempts to tap the pipeline, and in the process of extraction sometimes the pipeline is damaged or destroyed.

Oil extracted in this manner can often be sold for cash compensation.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation places the quantity of oil jettisoned into the environment yearly at 2,500 cubic meters with an average of 300 individual spills annually.

However, because this amount does not take into account "minor" spills, the World Bank argues that the true quantity of oil spilled into the environment could be as much as ten times the officially claimed amount.

Among the largest individual spills include the blowout of a Texaco offshore station which in 1980 dumped an estimated 400 million barrels (64,000,000 m3) of crude into the Gulf of Guinea and Shell's Forcados Terminal tank failure which produced a spillage estimated at 580 million barrels (92,000,000 m3).

One source projects that the total amount oil in barrels spilled between 1960 and 1997 is upwards of 100 million barrels (16,000,000 m3).

Without side-stepping environmental issues and clean-up.

They leave these out of their expeditures scheduling yet pass on the cost.

This is high-stakes fraud, malfesance, and irresponsibility, no matter where it happens.

Between oil spills, the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, and other pollution it is beginning to be difficult to call mankind as responsible at all.

Charles Moore: Sailing the Great Pacific Garbage Patch


The Great Pacific Garbage Patch - Good Morning America

Quote from : Wikipedia : Great Pacific Garbage Patch

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch, also described as the Pacific Trash Vortex, is a gyre of marine litter in the central North Pacific Ocean located roughly between 135° to 155°W and 35° to 42°N.

Although many scientists suggest that the patch extends over a very wide area, with estimates ranging from an area the size of the state of Texas to one larger than the continental United States, the exact size is unknown.

This can be attributed to the fact that there is no specific standard for determining the boundary between the “normal” and “elevated” levels of pollutants and what constitutes being part of the patch.

The size is determined by a higher-than normal degree of concentration of pelagic debris in the water.

Recent data collected from Pacific albatross populations suggest there may be two distinct zones of concentrated debris in the Pacific.

The Patch is characterized by exceptionally high concentrations of pelagic plastics, chemical sludge, and other debris that have been trapped by the currents of the North Pacific Gyre.

Despite its size and density, the patch is not visible from satellite photography since it primarily consists of suspended particulates in the upper water column.

Since plastics break down to ever smaller polymers, concentrations of submerged particles are not visible from space, nor do they appear as a continuous debris field.

Instead, the patch is defined as an area in which the mass of plastic debris in the upper water column is significantly higher than average.

I wonder how these oil conglomerations would react if we bought them out.

Hostile Takeover : Is BP PLC Vulnerable Enough For A Corporate Raid?

It might be the only way to get them to be held accountable if we owned them.

Instead of the other way around where they own us due to our oil addiction.

I wonder if these pushers can ever do the right thing instead of the wrong thing.

I somehow doubt they know what the right thing is because they are so used to raping the environment, and never being prosecuted, for their crimes.

Why are we in the US demanding that BP be held accountable for the spill in the Gulf (as they should be, in my opinion) when those 5 companies listed above, are not being held accountable in the Niger Delta?

Because Americans dont really care about the environment beyond their own back yards.

reply to post by SpartanKingLeonidas


The oil companies have been brought to justice befor. A New York judge excepted a case against Shell a foriegn owned compay for crimes commited in Nigeria a foriegn country. He took the case because they had a office in New York and he said he had juristiction due to that fact. But after that happened the oil companies moved all there offices to Texas and Lousiana and bought off all the judges in the area.

Heres the case I was speaking of.

wiwavshell.org...

But since the US played a role in bring about justice in this case, Now you have threads like this one that tries to blame the US for what is going on in Nigeria. I guess sometimes it doesn't pay to be the nice guy.