The incident occurred in the Oshika community along the Okordia–Rumuekpe line, renewing concerns over pipeline sabotage in the Niger Delta.

The Nigerian independent oil producer, which now owns the former onshore assets of Shell Nigeria, said it acted swiftly to isolate the affected segment and suspend production in order to contain the environmental impact.

This is the second spill reported this month on infrastructure operated by Renaissance and the third across its operations nationwide, highlighting the persistent threat of crude oil theft and pipeline vandalism in Nigeria.

In a statement released on Monday, the company said it had informed the relevant Nigerian regulatory authorities and is working with them to conduct a mandatory joint investigative visit to determine the scale and cause of the incident.

Separately, Renaissance disclosed that it had shut down a line feeding into the Trans Niger Pipeline last Friday. The pipeline is one of Nigeria’s major export routes, transporting crude from onshore fields to the Bonny export terminal in Rivers State.

Sabotage and oil theft have long plagued Nigeria’s petroleum sector, causing environmental degradation and billions in revenue losses annually. Communities across the Niger Delta continue to bear the brunt of spills, many of which are linked to illicit activities targeting oil infrastructure.

--ChannelAfrica--