Sustainable Oil Exploration: Expert Calls for Stricter Environmental Laws in Niger Delta

By: Abudu Olalekan

In the heart of Nigeria’s oil-rich Niger Delta, engineer Simon Ejobona pushes for greener drilling and tougher rules to protect lands and people. From pipeline fixes to global treaties—discover how sustainable practices could save the region.

Imagine the Niger Delta. Murky waters. Towering rigs piercing the sky. Oil flows like blood in the veins of Nigeria’s economy. But beneath the black gold? Scars. Spills that choke rivers. Air thick with fumes. Communities gasping for clean air. It’s a story we’ve heard too many times. Now, enter Simon Ejobona. Petroleum engineer. No suit-and-tie type. He’s the guy in the trenches, sleeves rolled up. Managing Partner at Hydrotech Piping System Limited. And on World Engineering Day for Sustainable Development—theme: ‘Engineering Solutions for a Sustainable World’—he’s speaking out. Loud.

We sat down for a chat. Casual, over coffee. Simon’s eyes light up when he talks shop. “As petroleum engineers, we crunch geological data. Design drilling plans. Make sure it’s safe. Efficient. And yeah, minimal damage to the environment.” He leans in. You can tell he’s lived it. Offshore gigs. Onshore hustles. With big players—international oil companies, national ones, even NNPC refineries. Projects? A laundry list. Shell’s Southern Gas Pipeline. Total’s EPU-2, IKIKE setup. Chevron’s AGBAMI upgrade. Turnaround fixes at Warri, Kaduna, Port Harcourt refineries. Seplat’s Oben station. Agip’s OBOB plant. Adax LLI’s. Shell’s Bonga West, OPAM jobs. Whew.

His focus? Pipelines. Fabrication. Monitoring. Maintenance. Tweaking oil recovery to cut ecosystem harm. “We’ve boosted production. Slashed leakages.” In the Delta, that’s huge. Places where a single rupture can poison farmlands for years. Simon’s work? It’s helped. Reduced spills. Cleaner ops. But he pauses. “Petroleum engineers keep Nigeria’s economy humming. Oil and gas extraction—it’s our lifeline. But we protect health too. Human and environmental.”

Economy first, sure. But sustainability? That’s his drumbeat. Costs eating away? He innovates. Electronic supply chains. Local gasket production for pipelines. Builds capacity. Cuts waste. “Efficiency matters.” Formal tone slips in here. He’s serious about green practices. Oil well design. Drilling. Maintenance. All to curb pollution. Safeguard folks downstream.

Then, the big push. Stricter laws. Enforcement. “Oil ops must toe the line—international treaties, national regs.” He nods to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. Rules for marine habitats. No shortcuts. “I’ve advocated hard for a cleaner Delta. Environmentally friendly approaches in planning, design. Public health rules at installations.” Agencies, companies—step up. Prioritize it. For all Nigerians, not just Delta residents.

Story time. Simon’s no newbie. He’s seen the rot. Spills turning vibrant wetlands to wastelands. Fish dying. Kids with rashes from tainted water. “We can’t keep extracting like it’s endless.” Abrupt. Direct. His voice firms. “Stakeholders, listen. Sustainable oil exploration ain’t optional. It’s survival.” He mixes it casual: “You know, we’ve got the tech. Just need the will.”

Why now? World Engineering Day spotlights it. Engineering for a better planet. Simon’s all in. His firm’s Hydrotech? Pushing boundaries. Local solutions. Less import. More jobs. But the Delta needs more. Stricter environmental laws. Real enforcement. Not paper tigers. Fines that bite. Monitoring that works. Communities involved.

Think about it. Nigeria’s oil-dependent. 90% exports. But at what cost? Health crises. Conflicts. Climate hits. Simon’s call? Balance. Extract smart. Protect fierce. “Our work sustains the economy. Prevents pollution wrecking public health.” He’s done projects that prove it. Leak fixes saving millions in cleanup. Recovery methods pulling more oil with less mess.

He wraps it urgent. “Call on all in petroleum. Prioritize environment, health. For Nigeria’s good.” Not just Delta. Whole nation. Echoes linger. As we wrap the chat, Simon smiles faint. Hopeful. The Delta’s story? It can change. With engineers like him leading. Sustainable practices. Tough laws. One rig at a time.

Reportersroom digs these voices. Niger Delta’s plight? Ongoing saga. Simon Ejobona’s pushing the needle. Will powers-that-be listen? Stay tuned. Change brews slow. But it’s coming.