Double standard: Shell Practices in Nigeria Compared with International Standards to Prevent and Control Pipeline Oil Spills and the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill

The report concludes that Shell Nigeria operates well below international 'good oil field practice' and is out of compliance with Nigerian law. It highlights a 'double standard' where Shell applies lower environmental and safety standards in Nigeria than in industrialized nations, resulting in chronic pollution in the Niger Delta. Key failures include delayed asset integrity reviews, inadequate leak detection, and poor spill response, while the Nigerian government's lack of oversight and its role as a joint venture partner further exacerbate the situation.

• Shell Nigeria operates significantly below international standards for pipeline management and is out of compliance with Nigerian law, which requires 'good oil field practice' based on API and ASME standards.
• There is a stark 'double standard' in how oil spills are handled; while the 2010 Deepwater Horizon spill in the Gulf of Mexico received massive funding and attention, chronic spills in the Niger Delta are largely unattended.
• The Niger Delta is one of the most oil-impacted ecosystems globally, with independent estimates suggesting 9 to 13 million barrels of oil have spilled over 50 years, averaging 115,000 to 200,000 barrels per year.
• Shell Nigeria's pipeline failure rate is significantly higher than in developed regions; between 1976 and 1995, Nigeria's oil pipeline failure rate was 6.40 per 1,000 km-years, compared to 0.56-1.33 in the U.S.
• The company has failed to implement adequate leak detection and sabotage prevention technologies in the Niger Delta, despite being aware of 'Best Available Technology' (BAT) requirements used in Alaska.
• Shell Nigeria's spill response is characterized by delays and inefficiency, often failing to meet the EGASPIN requirement to commence clean-up within 24 hours of a spill.
• Shell Nigeria lacks transparency regarding its operational safety, refusing to provide the author with its Oil Spill Contingency Plan (OSCP), Joint Operating Agreement, or Asset Integrity Review.
• The relationship between Shell and the Nigerian government is dysfunctional; Shell claims that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has underfunded critical infrastructure upgrades, while the government fails to provide effective oversight.

APA

Steiner, R. (2010). Double standard: Shell Practices in Nigeria Compared with International Standards to Prevent and Control Pipeline Oil Spills and the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill. Friends of the Earth International. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/20101109-rapport-Double-Standard.pdf

Chicago

Steiner, Richard. Double standard: Shell Practices in Nigeria Compared with International Standards to Prevent and Control Pipeline Oil Spills and the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill. Friends of the Earth International, 2010. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/20101109-rapport-Double-Standard.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Steiner |first1=Richard |title=Double standard: Shell Practices in Nigeria Compared with International Standards to Prevent and Control Pipeline Oil Spills and the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill |publisher=Friends of the Earth International |date=November 2010 |url=https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/20101109-rapport-Double-Standard.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{steiner2010double, author = {Steiner, Richard}, title = {{Double standard: Shell Practices in Nigeria Compared with International Standards to Prevent and Control Pipeline Oil Spills and the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill}}, institution = {Friends of the Earth International}, year = {2010}, month = nov, url = {https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/20101109-rapport-Double-Standard.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }