Oil tankers or production companies responsible for oil spills in Nigeria's territorial waters could face a fine of up to us $176 million. This was announced by transport minister Ojo Maduekwe at a news conference recently. "This action is taken in our vital national interest to safeguard the nation from oil spillage and pollution," Maduekwe said. He added that the measure applied to oil tanker owners and oil companies producing Nigeria's two million barrels per day of crude in the creeks of the Niger Delta and offshore.
A department of petroleum resources spokesperson said no data was immediately available on the number of oil spills in Nigeria. The main players in oil production in the country are Royal Dutch/Shell, ExxonMobil , ChevronTexaco, TotalFinaElf and Agip.
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