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Nigeria: Oil giants sued

Barry Healy

28 February 2009

Eight Nigerian indigenous communities announced on February 19 that they are suing Shell, Chevron, Exxon Mobil, Agip and Nigeria National Petroleum for failing to cease gas flaring, which, they describe as “gross injustice and unfairness to host communities”.

The action comes after the oil companies refused to comply with a government deadline for all gas flaring to cease by December 2008.

The World Bank says Gas flaring is a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions. It estimates that over 100 billion cubic metres (bcm) of natural gas worth approximately US$30.6 million are vented annually.

The Bank’s Global Gas Flaring Reduction website’s satellite imagery shows Nigeria flared 16.8 bcm of gas in 2007, second only to Russia, with 50 bcm.

On January 9 AllAfrica.com reported a Shell announcement of a US$3 billion investment to reduce gas flaring in 2009.