Shell Hit with Multi-Million Dollar Fine

(Posted on 04/08/11)

Shell's reluctant admittance that it's responsible for two massive oil spills in Nigeria prompted an order for it to to fork over hundreds of millions of dollars in a London courtroom this week.

The spills occurred at Bodo and video footage reveals the two spills combined could rival the devastating Exxon Valdez nightmare in 1989 that resulted in ten million gallons of oil being spilled into the Bay of Alaska. The 69,000-plus residents of a small Nigerian community continue to suffer ongoing environmental problems, not to mention the social problems that will surely plague the area for generations. The footage also disproves Shell's adamant statements that it spilled less than 40,000 gallons. The Guardian obtained access to certain legal documents filed in a London court regarding an ongoing class action suit, where it was discovered the oil company had finally accepted responsibility. The pipeline burst twice in 2008. In 1994, Ogoniland tossed Shell out of the region for its ongoing pollution.

From an environmental standpoint, the dual spills have annihilated at least 20 km that include creeks and inlets and it's believed as many as thirty more areas are poisoned near Bodo. Worse, Shell has been accused of not cleaning the oil. As a result, it remains in those creeks and settlements and the water table, along with farmland, is seeping with the dirty oil that puts out an incredibly offensive odor.

The stories continue in the court documents. The company attempted to "lessen" the damage by providing the community 50 bags of rice, 50 bags of beans, tomatoes and "a few" carts of sugar. Each time, they were rejected by the Bodo chiefs, who said it was insulting that the company would believe that would eliminate its responsibility.

The solicitors in London who are handling the class action law suit are with the firm Leigh Day and Company, best known for its representation of the Ivory Coast area that experienced devastating health repercussions when toxic waste was dumped in the area.

As the lawsuit moves forward, the Centre of Environment and Human Rights has also stepped in and is following the case closely.

Shell's admission brings the total to 13 millions barrels of oil that have spilled throughout the region in recent years. This number shockingly overshadows the controversial estimates of 7 million barrels that some say spilled into the Gulf of Mexico last summer.
Photo of Bogo Creek, courtesy of New York Times