Overview
- A report published July 28, 2026 by Amnesty International and partners analysed internal Shell documents from 2008–2014 showing ageing pipelines, hundreds of untracked wells, weak leak detection and missing maintenance records.
- Those documents include a 2014 email calling the old Nembe Creek Trunk Line “a basket,” note about 80 km of the old line left filled with stagnant crude, and records of at least six operational spills after its 2010 replacement.
- Internal audits show more than 1,600 pipeline clamps with many unknown locations, a 2013 finding that pipelines were not replaced on schedule, and emails saying illegal taps were sometimes left in place to avoid costly production downtime.
- The papers also record an internal US$10.9 billion decommissioning estimate and an internal presentation that put polluted mangroves at about 375 km², raising questions about whether Shell adequately provided for cleanup before selling SPDC in 2025.
- Rights groups and affected communities are calling for independent audits, a Niger Delta clean‑up fund and formal investigations as UK litigation continues with the Bille trial set for March 2027 and potential financial and legal exposure for both Shell and the buyer.