By Associated Press, Updated: Friday, December 23, 4:20 PM
LAGOS, Nigeria A faulty pipe from an offshore oil field run by Royal Dutch Shell PLC near Nigerias coast spewed crude oil into the ocean for as much as 25 hours as workers loaded a waiting tanker, the company acknowledged Friday.
While Shell continues to investigate the cause of what likely is the worst offshore spill in more than a decade near oil-rich Nigeria, the nations beleaguered government remains largely reliant on the oil firm to clean up the spill. While the huge slick remains offshore, it still poses a danger to wildlife and plants in a region where spills already stain the environment.