In the wake of the first report cataloging the widespread oil spill damage in the Niger Delta reports of a new spill emerge.

Fresh oil spill seen near Shell pipeline in Nigeria’s restive southern oil delta

By Associated Press, Published: August 21
Reposted from The Washington Post

LAGOS, Nigeria — Community leaders in Nigeria’s oil-rich southern delta say a new oil spill has been seen near a Royal Dutch Shell PLC pipeline where a fire broke out earlier this week.

The oil sheen could be seen Sunday near the Okordia Rumuekepe trunkline in Bayelsa state, which is operated by Shell’s Nigerian subsidiary. The same trunkline saw a fire break out Friday.

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image source:  guardian.co.uk

Since December 2009, Exxon has had six oil spills in one small area in the Southeast.

Photo credit: Sahara Reporters

The latest on July 18th follows spills previously reported on December 4, 2009 and March 24, May 1, June 20 and June 21, 2010.  Read more here from Nigerian media news site 123Next :

“We got reports of crude floating on the waters in the high seas at the weekend and verified the report before contacting the Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) and Mobil officials,”  [the Secretary of the Artisan Fishermen Association of Nigeria] said. “By Monday, the oil spill had landed on the coastline. Officials of the company and the agency, had come to see the site, our fishermen that came back from the sea had their nets and fishing gear contaminated by crude oil.”

Mr Irvin Obot, the Zonal Director of NOSDRA, confirmed that the agency had received reports of the oil spill incident at the Qua Iboe oil fields. “We got a report from the community and visited the site; there were traces of crude oil on the shoreline but we are yet to get a report from the operator of the oil fields,” he said.