Shell Says Nigerian Oil Spill Cleaned

Posted December 26th, 2011 at 5:15 pm (UTC-5)
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Royal Dutch Shell says an oil spill in the waters off Nigeria has been stopped and oil “largely dispersed” less than a week after the leak began, and before the oil reached the West African nation's coastline.

In a statement Monday, the oil giant said it will continue to monitor the area and clean up any additional oil accumulations. The company said a separate leak from a third-party source has hampered its efforts, but Shell said it is working to disperse that oil as well.

Shell's Nigerian subsidiary estimates the amount of leaked oil at less than 40,000 barrels. The Bonga oil field where the spill happened can produce about 200,000 barrels of oil a day. The company has stopped production at the field indefinitely.

The company says the leak was traced to a connector that sends the oil from the production vessel into tankers.