Delta records highest oil spill as nine incidents release nearly 130,000 litres of crude

At least 129,855 litres of crude oil spilled in nine incidents across Delta, Bayelsa and Rivers states between August and September 2026, with Delta accounting for nearly 90 per cent of the total, according to official oil spill records reviewed by PREMIUM TIMES.

The records published by the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) show that seven incidents occurred in Delta State, one in Bayelsa and another in Rivers. The largest spill involved more than 112,000 litres of crude oil from a wellhead in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta.

The incidents, which occurred between 2 August and 17 September, were attributed to sabotage and oil theft, equipment failure, corrosion, and operational or maintenance errors.

The figures show the persistence of oil pollution in the Niger Delta, where spills continue to threaten land, vegetation, surface water, fishing grounds and aquatic life.

Delta accounts for most of the spilled crude

The largest incident occurred on 26 August at the W14T wellhead in Okpare-Olomu, Ughelli South Local Government Area, where ND Western spilled an estimated 704.5 barrels, equivalent to approximately 112,016 litres of crude oil.

NOSDRA attributed the incident to operational or maintenance error. The spill affected soil and vegetation on land within the company’s right of way.

The records indicate that 440.25 barrels (approximately 70,000 litres) were recovered, leaving 264.25 barrels (equivalent to 42,000 litres) unaccounted for in the reported figures.

The volume released in this single incident was more than eight times the 14,000 litres estimated to have spilled from a pipeline in Bayelsa State during the same period.

Delta also recorded a 1,590-litre spill from Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited’s six-inch North Bank flowline at Obotobo in Burutu Local Government Area on 15 August. The incident was attributed to sabotage or oil theft. It affected vegetation, surface water and soil, both within and outside the operator’s right of way.

On 4 August, NNPC Exploration & Production Limited reported an equipment-related spill involving 1,110 litres at the Egwa Well 23 Tango in Egwa 2 community, Warri South-West Local Government Area.

The incident affected swamp vegetation, fishing nets, surface water and aquatic life. The joint investigation team reported seeing dead fish floating in the affected area.

Another incident involving six barrels, equivalent to approximately 954 litres, occurred on 17 September at the Heritage Energy Operational Services Limited‘s Olomoro Compressor Station in Isoko South Local Government Area. The spill, attributed to equipment failure, affected surface water and a fish pond, with the incident extending within and outside the company’s right of way.

Two further incidents occurred at Yokri in Burutu Local Government Area. A 159-litre spill from Renaissance’s six-inch Yokri high-pressure bulkline on 27 August was attributed to sabotage or theft, while a 40-litre spill still from Renaissance’s bulkline tie-in on 2 September was blamed on corrosion. Both incidents affected swamp vegetation or soil, with the first also affecting surface water.

The remaining incident in Delta involved approximately one litre of crude oil from Chevron‘s 9B-83 well flowline at Olero RMP 17 in Warri North Local Government Area on 22 August. NOSDRA attributed it to corrosion and reported an impact on surface water.

Bayelsa pipeline spill raises pollution concerns

Bayelsa State recorded the second-largest spill, with an estimated 88 barrels, equivalent to approximately 14,000 litres, released from a 10-inch Diebu Creek-Nun River delivery line at Eniwari in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area.

The incident, reported on 23 August, was attributed to sabotage or oil theft. The joint investigation team observed an inward dent and a tear on the facility, suspected to have resulted from the use of an improvised explosive device by unidentified persons.

The spill affected an estimated 1.62 million square metres of swamp habitat, according to the records.

Renaissance identified as the operator in the records, reported recovering 30 barrels, or approximately 4,770 litres, of crude oil.

The reported recovery leaves about 58 barrels, equivalent to approximately 9,200 litres, unaccounted for in the available figures.

In Rivers State, Oando reported a one-litre crude oil spill on 2 August from the 18-inch Ebocha-Ogoda pipeline at Mgbede community in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area.

The incident was attributed to sabotage or theft. Investigators identified a two-inch ball valve attached to the pipeline at its 12 o’clock position. The records listed no initial containment measure.

Pattern mirrors previous oil spill reports

The latest figures follow a similar pattern documented by PREMIUM TIMES in its review of July 2026 oil spill records.

In a report published on 10 August, this newspaper found that at least 10 spill incidents occurred across Rivers, Delta, Bayelsa and Imo states during July. The incidents involved sabotage, corrosion, equipment defects and operational failures, with Renaissance Africa Energy Company recording four incidents.

The review for July also documented spills affecting swamp vegetation, surface water and fishing nets, including incidents in which oil escaped both within and outside operators’ rights of way.

In a separate investigation published in August 2025, PREMIUM TIMES reported that NOSDRA’s records documented more than 9,890 oil spill incidents across Nigeria between 2015 and July 2025. Rivers State recorded the highest number, with 4,184 incidents, followed by Bayelsa with 2,118.

The investigation found that sabotage was the predominant recorded cause of spills, while corrosion and equipment failures also contributed significantly to the pollution burden.

The latest records show that the problem is not limited to deliberate interference with oil infrastructure. The largest spill in the period reviewed was attributed to operational or maintenance error, while equipment failure and corrosion accounted for other incidents.

The environmental consequences were also not confined to land. Several spills affected swamps and surface water, while the Egwa incident in Delta was reported to have killed fish and damaged fishing nets, directly threatening the livelihoods of people who depend on the affected waters.

The records provide estimates of the quantities spilled and recovered, but do not, by themselves, establish the full extent of long-term environmental damage, the cost of remediation or whether affected communities have been compensated.