Shell has a long poor track in the Niger Delta and current oil spill events that pollute water

Over the past five decades, nearly 6.7 million (Mn) m³ of oil have been spilled, rendering areas uninhabitable for wildlife and disrupting their physiological processes^2,1;p11. Cleanup efforts following oil spills are challenging, as the absorbed oil makes the entire area unsuitable for wildlife, and persistent oils disperse slowly in aquatic surroundings^3,4. The oil and gas industry, a major contributor to 'Produced Water' containing harmful elements, poses a lasting threat to wildlife and marine life^7,8.

Shell is an oil and gas global company⁹. In 2022, it had 129 spills (75 sabotage & 54 operational), amounting to 660 t (769 m³)^13,10;p79. Out of these, 52% were recovered (340 t or 397 m³) and 48% were untreated (372 m³)^10;p79. Considering that 1 L of oil can contaminate up to 1 Mn L of water, Shell could have contaminated up to over 300 Mn m³ of water¹¹. Further, in 2022, Shell's produced water amounted to 58 Mn m³, of which 40 Mn m³ was discharged into the environment^10;p80.

The Niger Delta, known for its rich biodiversity, faces severe environmental degradation due to Shell's operations (since the 1950s)¹⁴. Since 1970, Shell has reported numerous oil spills in Niger Delta, with at least 1,010 spills recorded, totaling 17.5 Mn liters of oil spilled in the environment^15,16. The rising spill volume prompted international calls for justice, resulting in discussions at the UK court¹⁴. In 2015, Shell was subsequently ordered to pay USD84 Mn in compensation to the Bodo population for two devastating oil spills that harmed their livelihoods^17,14. In 2022, Shell faced allegations of a 16 m³ oil spill in Nigeria, causing contamination of drinking water, farmland, and the death of birds, aquatic life, and larger fishes¹².

Shell had a significant number of oil spill incidents across its operations.