(Ecofin Agency) - Shell Petroleum Production Company, (SPDC), Nigeria’s oil major has announced that over 110,000 barrels of crude estimated to worth $5 million was lost daily to activities of oil thieves and pipelines vandalism.

This was disclosed by the General Manager, External Relations, Shell Nigeria, Mr. Igo Weli (picture), during a one day seminar in Warri, Delta State.

Weli revealed that aside the huge revenue loss to the activities; it was also responsible for the high level environmental degradation being witnessed in the region.

He highlighted that the main causes of environmental pollution in the country was the activities of vandals who mostly burst oil pipes for the purpose of building illegal refinery or selling the crude to buyers who would later leave for their countries to sell.

 “An average of 37,000 barrels of crude oil is stolen daily from SPDC JV facilities”, he told Nationalmirror adding that from 2010- 2014 over 92 % of all oil spill from SPDC facilities were caused by oil thieves and vandals and it has posed a serious threat to the fresh water and marine environments in the region as those living in the coastal area could no longer fish or drink the water.

 To him, it is a common trend for people to build around locations visibly marked as pipeline right of way without recourse blaming the situation on the non-compliance with Survey Coordination Act of 1962 as well as lack of awareness of the implication of living around areas marked as pipeline right of way.

Weli, however, stated that SPDC was doing all it could to stop the incessant oil theft and vandalism facilities in the country. And aside being a major contributor to the nation’s economy, it was also working in partnership with government and communities to making the lives of the people better.