Nigerian Oil Spills

Paper Summary:

Oil has been an important part of the Nigerian economy since vast reserves of petroleum were discovered in the 1950s. In 1997, Nigeria earned over 95 percent of its foreign exchange from the sale of oil on the global market. This paper discusses the environmental damage on the Nigeria caused by oil spills, particularly on the Ogoni people of the Delta Region who claim that Shell Oil Company caused extensive damage to their way of life. The paper examines the damages that Shell was forced to pay out to the tribe, as well as the steps taken by the Shell and other petroleum companies to ensure less environmental damage.

From the Paper:

"Although residents of the area also complain that tests should be taken to determine the extent of oil spills when they occur, this too, is passed up. The government of Nigeria has no labs that can test for oil pollution and international environmentalists are leery about doing work in the area because of the economic and political situation. As a result, the residents have never taken soil and water samples from despoiled areas. They have never tagged animals with sensors in order to chart disrupted habitats. They have never done a computer simulation to determine whether the canal that Shell built, in order to quicken the removal of oil from the river running through the village, has permanently changed the flow of the river. This was once seasonal but now flows year-round, thereby erasing cyclical ponds critical to spawning fish (Zachary)."

More papers on Nigerian Oil Spills:

• Essay # 27780 : "Nigerian Oil Spills"
• Case Study # 116776 : "Shell Oil in Nigeria"
• Term Paper # 121076 : "Effect of Oil Spills"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: