Oil firms in Nigeria burn N838.5bn gas in five months

Michael Eboh

Dublin, Ireland — Oil and gas companies operating in Nigeria flared 154.1 billion standard cubic feet (SCF) of gas in five months, between January and May 2025, causing the country a loss of $539.2 million, an equivalent of N838.456 billion, according to data released by the National Oil Spill Detection and Remediation Agency (NOSDRA).

NOSDRA, in its gas flare report for January to May 2025, disclosed that the amount lost to gas flaring in the period under review was 21.47 per cent higher than the $443.9 million, about N690.265 billion, lost to gas flaring in the same period in 2024.

The environmental watchdog also noted that the volume of gas flared in the five-month period in 2025 contributed 8.2 million tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere; had power generation potential of 15,400 gigawatts hour (GWh); while the offending companies were liable for penalties payment of $308.1 million, about N479.1 billion.

In comparison, NOSDRA noted that between January and May 2024, the oil firms flared 126.8 billion standard cubic feet of gas (BSCF) valued at $443.9 million, an equivalent of N690.265 billion; with penalties payable at $253.7 million, about N394.504 billion; while it contributed 6.7 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions, and it had power generation potential of 12,700 GWh.

In its breakdown of flare data across segments of the oil-producing space, the agency reported that 102.4 billion SCF of gas was flared by oil and gas firms operating in the country’s onshore oil space, accounting for 66.49 per cent of total gas flared in the period under review, and was 60.04 per cent higher than the value lost to gas flaring in this same segment and in the same period in 2024.

NOSDRA added that the volume of gas flared onshore caused the country a loss of 10,200 GWh of electricity, and the emission of 5.4 million tonnes of greenhouse gases; was valued at $358.5 million, about N557.467 billion; while the companies were liable to pay penalties of $204.8 million, about N318.464 billion.

In comparison, between January and May 2024, companies operating onshore flared 64.0 billion SCF of gas valued at $224 million, about N348.32 billion; with penalties payable at $128 million, about N199.04 billion; caused the lost of power generation potential of 6,400 GWh; and contributed 3.4 million tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

On the other hand, companies operating offshore accounted for 33.53 per cent of total gas flared between January and May 2025, with 51.7 billion SCF of gas, valued at $180.8 million (N281.144 billion); penalties payable at $103.3 million (N160.632 billion); contributed 2.7 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emission; and eroded 5,200 GWh of electricity generation potential.

Similarly, in the same period in 2024, offshore operations emitted 3.3 million tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere; caused the loss of power generation capacity of 6,300 GWh; with 62.8 billion SCF of gas flared, valued at $219.9 million (N341.945 billion), and penalties payable at $125.6 million (N195.308 billion).

In addition, NOSDRA stated that the offending companies flared gas from Oil Mining Leases (OML) 04, 05, 11, 13, 14, 17, 18, 22, 28, 23, 24, 38, 40, 42, 43, 72, 49, 54, 90, 95, 67, 70, 104, 59, 99, 100, 101, 102 and Oil Prospecting Licences (OPL) 222, 316 and 306, among others.

It identified the offending companies as Shell Petroleum, Development Company (SPDC), Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC), Chevron Nigeria, Mobil Oil, Elf Petroleum Nigeria, Nigeria Agip Oil Company (NAOC), Addax Petroleum, Texaco Overseas (Nigeria), Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria, Allied Energy Resources, Ultramar Petroleum, Atlas Petroleum; Cromwell, Afric Oil and Marketing, Famfa Oil, Moni Pulo, and South Atlantic Petroleum, among others.