尼日利亚村民称石油公司未能清理泄漏

AS IT IS 2015-11-07 Nigerians Say Oil Company Left Spills Behind 尼日利亚村民称石油公司未能清理泄漏

Villagers in the Niger River Delta¹ area of Nigeria say they live in unclean conditions because oil companies have not cleaned up spills.

The claims against Shell Oil Company and Italian Oil’s ENI were published in a report earlier this year by Amnesty International, a rights group.

Shell blames the pollution on oil theft and illegal refining. Shell and ENI admitted to more than 550 oil spills in the Niger Delta last year.  

Documents released in a legal action in Britain showed Shell knew of pipeline² problems in Nigeria. The documents said the company knew one of its main pipelines³ was old and dangerous.

Four spill sites in Nigeria remain polluted. Shell claimed the sites were cleaned in 2011.

Five pipelines meet at one of the sites, called the Bomu manifold. It is near the village of Kegbara Dere and is called Nigeria’s “oil central.” The pipelines carry 150,000 barrels of oil a day to an export terminal.

Rusty⁴ pumps and 50-year-old pipes increase the chance for spills. Over the past five years, the Bomu manifold site continues to be contaminated. 

Shell operates almost 50 oil fields in the Niger delta. The company also owns 5,000 kilometers of pipeline. Shell’s own investigation⁵ reported 1,693 oil spills and 350,000 lost barrels of oil in the area.

Words in This Story

delta – n. a piece of land shaped like a triangle that is formed when a river splits into smaller rivers before it flows into an ocean

theft – n. the act or crime of stealing

manifold – n. a device that diverts oil or gas, without flow interruption, from the well for disposal

terminal – n. a central area to which oil is moved for distribution

rusty – adj. covered with rust, a reddish substance that forms on iron or other metals, usually when it comes in contact with moisture or air

1 delta   

n.（流的）角洲

参考例句：

• He has been to the delta of the Nile.他曾去过尼罗河三角洲。
• The Nile divides at its mouth and forms a delta.尼罗河在河口分岔，形成了一个三角洲。

2 pipeline   

n.管道，管线

参考例句：

• The pipeline supplies Jordan with 15 per cent of its crude oil.该管道供给约旦15%的原油。
• A single pipeline serves all the houses with water.一条单管路给所有的房子供水。

3 pipelines   

管道( pipeline的名词复数 )； 输油管道； 在考虑（或规划、准备） 中； 在酿中

参考例句：

• The oil is carried to the oil refinery by pipelines. 石油通过输油管输送到炼油厂。
• The oil carried in pipelines. 石油用管道输送。

4 rusty   

adj.生锈的；锈色的；荒废了的

参考例句：

• The lock on the door is rusty and won't open.门上的锁锈住了。
• I haven't practiced my French for months and it's getting rusty.几个月不用，我的法语又荒疏了。

5 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。