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Niger Delta case study��

Module 6b

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Content

Brief Details of Ogoniland
Background to the Conflict
UN Environment’s Role & Tasks
Key Findings
Concluding Comments

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UN Environment’s assistance was requested by the President of Nigeria in 2006
Conduct assessment of environmental impacts associated with oilfield activities in Ogoniland, Niger Delta.
Provide scientific data and make recommendations for remediation of contaminated soil and groundwater
Provide recommendations for sustainable environmental management of Ogoniland
Contribute to peace building.

UNEP’s Mission

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Ogoniland is located within Rivers State, Nigeria.

Kingdom of 1,000 km²

Population of approximately one million.

Comprises 4 local government areas.

Oil exploration and production operations:

began 1950s
ceased 1993

Ogoniland

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Oil facilities at 1993 closing:

12 oilfields
116 wells drilled
5 flow stations
Flow station capacity of 200,000 barrels per day
But production was at only 20,000 bpd (some 10%).

Today:

Zero production, only crude oil and product pipelines passing through Ogoniland.

Ogoniland

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200+ spill sites inspected
Detailed land and groundwater investigations at 69 priority sites
Water samples from 142 groundwater monitoring wells
Soil from 780 boreholes
Sediment samples collected at 37 locations
Air quality testing at 29 villages, 2 reference sites
More than 4,000 samples analyzed

Sampling Fieldwork

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Of the 69 sites studied in detail:

28 - near SPDC facilities.

2 - near NNPC crude lines.

34 - pipeline rights of way.

1 - fly tipping site.

1 – Oil bunkering / artisanal refining site.

Soil and Groundwater Sites

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Process�

Samples collected following internationally-accepted procedures.�
Proper chain of custody.�
Dispatched for analysis to accredited (ISO 17025) laboratories in Europe.�

Analyses

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Primarily looking for hydrocarbons the most important:

BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes).
PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons).

Measured as total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH).

Air quality: volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and particulate matter.

Analyses

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More than 250 formal community meetings organized.

Attendance > 23,000 people.

Input of local knowledge of oil spill sites.

UNEP Community Liaison Assistants based in each LGA

Community Involvement

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Viewing of Ogoniland Videos

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Findings

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Contamination in Ogoniland and surrounding creeks is severely impacting many parts of environment.

Concerns over viability, productivity of ecosystems.

Serious health risks to thousands of community members.

Restoration: 25-30 years.

Findings

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Soil Contamination

Pollution by petroleum hydrocarbons is extensive in soil, sediments and swampland.

Mostly from crude oil (refined product at 3 locations).

Importantly, areas which appear unaffected on surface often found to be heavily contaminated underground.

In 49 cases, hydrocarbons in soil at depths of at least 5 m

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At 41 sites, pollution has reached groundwater and exceeds EGASPIN (600 ug/l)�
Most serious case is Nisisioken Ogale:

8 cm layer of refined oil floating on groundwater which serves wells.
Water in wells contains benzene at over 900 time WHO standard.
Benzene: C₆H_6,colourless, very flammable, sweet smell (typical in service stations) – highly carcinogenic.
Source: local refinary.

Groundwater

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Contamination depth – 5 m.

Highest soil concentration (TPH) = 32,500 mg/kg.

Volume of heavily contated soil (>5,000 mg/kg) = 5,000 m3.

Volume of light contaminated soil (>50 mg/kg) = 27,000 m3.

Level of groundwater contamination – 5,650 ug/l (EGASPIN = 600 ug/l).

Contamination of nearby rivers – yes

Example: K.Dere

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Root crops were unusable in areas directly impacted by oil spills.

When farming recommences, plants can show signs of stress with lower yields.

Oil-related fires kill vegetation.

Crust makes remediation or re-vegetation difficult

Vegetation

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Surface water throughout the creeks contains hydrocarbons.

Oil present on water bodies in most creeks most of the time.

Thin sheen to thick layers.

Water used for bathing, swimming, fishing, drinking.

Surface water

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Highest reading of dissolved hydrocarbon in water column, of 7,420 µg/l: Ataba-Otokroma.

Fisheries sector suffering due to destruction of fish habitat and persistent contamination of creeks.

Fish farms ruined by ever-present layer of floating oil in creeks.

Aquatic

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Ogoni community exposed to petroleum hydrocarbons via:

Air;
Polluted drinking water;
Bathing, swimming in�contaminated water;
Walking, touching�contaminated soil;
Accidental ingestion.

Public health

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Community members at significant risk, particularly where benzene was found in drinking water.

WHO guideline for benzene is 10 ug/l.

Benzene detected in 5 drinking water wells in one area, concentrations 161 – 9,280 ug/l.

Source – production facility.

Warrants emergency action ahead of all other remediation efforts.

Public Health

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Drinking water:�

Hydrocarbons found in water from 28 wells at 10 communities adjacent to contaminated sites
Values range from 11 – 42,200 ug/l
7 wells: samples at least 1,000 times higher than the Nigerian drinking water standard of 3 μg/l
Local communities aware of pollution but continue to use water for drinking, bathing, washing and cooking as no alternative