By Dr Ebinimi Joe Ansa, Researcher and Head of Department, African Regional Aquaculture Centre/Nigerian Institute for Oceanography and Marine Research (NIOMR), Port Harcourt). SWAIMS webinar held on 31st March 2021 with civil society organisations (CSOs) in Nigeria

1. Oil theft and marine
pollution in the Niger Delta:
causes and potential
solutions
Dr Ebinimi J. Ansa
Director, African Regional Aquaculture Centre (ARAC)
of the
Nigerian Institute for Oceanography and Marine Research (NIOMR)
Port Harcourt, Nigeria
Curbing Maritime Insecurity in the Niger Delta, webinar hosted by SWAIMS, 31st March 2021

2. Where is the
Niger Delta?
• Located in the Southern
part of Nigeria
• Officially made up of nine
states namely Rivers,
Bayelsa, Delta, Edo, Akwa
Ibom, Cross River, Abia,
Imo, Ondo

3. Diversity of
the Niger
Delta

4. Oil theft in
the Niger
Delta - 1
• The most prevalent technique for stealing crude oil
is to perforate the pipeline conveying the crude and
tap it at the point where it had been perforated or
punctured (Adegbite, 2013).
• Illegal bunkering could be carried out in different
ways:
• Small-scale pilfering through puncturing of
condensate and petroleum product pipelines
• Puncturing and tapping of crude oil-bearing
pipelines
• Tapping from wellhead
• Excess lifting of crude oil beyond
approved/licensed amounts (Asuni, 2009)

5. Oil theft in
the Niger
Delta - 2
https://www.spglobal.com/platts/en/market-
insights/latest-news/oil/022521-nigeria-losing-200000-bd-
to-crude-oil-theft-as-sabotage-grows-nnpc

6. The
actors in
the chain
• About 90% of persons involved in illegal
bunkering and illegal refining of crude oil are
youths in the age range of 20 to 38 years
• Other actors include
• The protectors or guarders of the pipeline
• The illegal refinery equipment owners
• Operators of the illegal bunkering and refining
of the crude
• Daily paid workers
• The boat builders
• The welders who construct the cooking pot and
distillation drums
• Suppliers of mangrove wood being the major
fuel used in igniting the “KPO FIRE”
• Brokers who coordinate the sales and
purchase of the refined products

7. Puncturing the pipeline
to obtain crude oil
Image source: https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTuKXY94dY7A4m5nBR1FJY-
m2PP3AH3O8hzWw&usqp=CAU

8. Processing
crude to diesel
• Image Source: https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTCLK9fvoHE4OM6WouSn0IWgVLzY8G6olXG7A&usqp=CAU

9. Effects of illegal refining
of crude oil on the People
and the Environment

10. Solution or
more problems?
• Attempt to curb oil theft by
burning of installations results
in further damage to the air,
land, and marine ecosystems
• Run-off from rainfall after such
fiery acts result in visibly black
carbon laden waters all
funneling through drains,
creeks and rivers into the
Atlantic Ocean
• Image source: https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQMuyQBwtGwq7LmSXSKfv5sv7WhYgTUQF2IJg&usqp=CAU

11. Causes of
oil theft

12. Marine Pollution
• Pollutants find their way into the environment either accidentally or by human
introduction
• Accident
• Oil spills
• Human introductions
• Gas flaring
• Tapping of pipes during illegal bunkering
• Waste discharge into to the riverine environment during illegal and unsafe refining of crude
oil
• Solid wastes dumping
• Plastic waste pollution
• Air pollution from ships
• Ballast water
• Mechanical failure of pipelines due to poor management
• Agricultural pollutants from run offs
• Industrial effluents – thermal effluents, wastewater
• Wastes from mechanical workshops

13. Plastic pollution in the
marine environment
• https://back.3blmedia.com/sites/defaul
t/files/styles/ratio_3_2/public/triplepun
dit/wide/Purdue%20University%20plasti
c%20pollution.jpg

14. MARPOL Convention
• What is MARPOL?
• International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships
• The MARPOL Convention was adopted on 2 November 197
• The Protocol of 1978 was adopted in response to a spate of tanker
accidents in 1976-1977
• As the 1973 MARPOL Convention had not yet entered into force, the 1978
MARPOL Protocol absorbed the parent Convention
https://www.imo.org/en/KnowledgeCentre/ConferencesMeetings/Pages/Marpol.aspx

15. What does MARPOL cover?
• MARPOL includes regulations aimed at preventing and minimizing, both accidental and
operational, pollution from ships and currently includes six technical Annexes:
• Annex I – Regulations for the Prevention of Pollution by Oil
• Annex II – Regulations for the Control of Pollution by Noxious Liquid Substances in Bulk
• Annex III – Prevention of Pollution by Harmful Substances Carried in Packaged Form
• Annex IV – Prevention of Pollution by Sewage from Ships
• Annex V – Prevention of Pollution by Garbage from Ships
• Annex VI – Prevention of Air Pollution from Ships
https://www.lr.org/en/marpol-international-convention-for-the-prevention-of-pollution/#

16. POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS TO OIL THEFT AND
MARINE POLLUTION
• Educating the actors on the deleterious effects of illegal bunkering and illegal
refining on the people, the economy and the environment through advocacy and
campaigns
• Develop framework to legalize small-scale processing of crude
• Enforce registration of actors with CAC and other relevant bodies
• Ensure crude oil is paid for
• Provide modular refineries for the willing actors at a pro rated cost
• Regulatory committee should be set up to monitor activities along the chain

17. POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS TO OIL THEFT AND MARINE
POLLUTION
• Old or expired oil pipelines should be replaced
• Firm up the date for ending gas flaring by the multinational oil companies
• Oil companies should comply with the use of international best practices while carrying out oil
exploration activities in the region
• Find domestic and industrial use of gas, possibly for electricity generation, etc.
• Put up a proper contingency plan to monitor oil pipelines
• Aerial surveillance is required to curb pipeline vandalism
• Plastics should be harvested from the marine environment and recycled; using an art –
oriented approach may achieve greater impact
• Carry campaigns on the harm single-use plastics is causing to marine life and humans

18. Nigerian Institute for Oceanography and Marine
Research (NIOMR) Activities
• NIOMR is involved in research, training,
and several activities to enhance the
marine ecosystem, provide skills and
promote sustainable livelihoods
• No single – use plastic policy in place
• Cleaning of beaches as a regular
event
• Developing a turtle sanctuary
• Waste to wealth training programme
for youth in different communities
• Best equipped laboratories for ballast
water control and analysis
• Training on alternative livelihoods for ex-
agitators
• Training of men, women and youth in
aquaculture production, processing and
packaging
• Collaboration with local and international
institutions/organizations including
International Ocean Institute, Fisheries
Society of Nigeria, Niger Delta
Development Commission, Niger Delta
Basin Development Authority, Nigerian
Women in Agricultural Research for
Development, Industrial Training Fund
• The Department. African Regional
Aquaculture Centre (ARAC) is affiliated to
the Rivers State University for award of
postgraduate degrees in Aquaculture

19. Thank you
Merci
Obrigado