An international research team led by the University of Galway has used earth observation radar data to map oil pipeline networks covering a 9000 km2 region in the Niger Delta, pinpointing where crude oil spills have caused the most acute damage to the delicate mangrove ecosystem.

The Niger Delta hosts the second largest petroleum reserves in Africa, with the Nigerian economy heavily dependent on the industry.

However since the extraction and processing of oil started in the 1950s, the level of pollution is estimated to be equivalent to more than 13 million barrels of crude oil, causing enormous damage to the environment and posing severe health threats to the people who live in the region.

The Niger Delta is one of the most ecologically diverse regions on Earth and home to almost 30 million people from more than 40 ethnic groups. The vast majority of them depend on farming and fishing for their livelihoods and food security, as well as their cultural identity and well-being.

The study was led by researchers from the Ryan Institute at the University of Galway, in collaboration with the University of Ilorin in Nigeria. It was funded through Taighde Éireann – Research Ireland’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Societal Good Challenge Future Innovator Prize, which was awarded to the University of Galway team in 2021.

The study’s findings were published in the journal Remote Sensing. The researchers used Earth observational data from satellites, AI technology and imaging more commonly applied to assessing cardiovascular health to analyze the direct impact of oil pollution on the region.

The researchers determined the mortality rate of the mangrove forests over the period between 2016 and 2024 to be 5,644 hectares a year – the equivalent of 17 Central Park Forest areas being lost per year or 28 GAA pitches every day.

The data analysis allowed the research team to highlight specific locations in the vast pipeline network which need immediate intervention and restoration. It also allowed the research team to identify several new pipeline sites north of the coastal town of Bille showing evidence of significant oil spill damage that has yet to be formally reported.