ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the efforts of the Shell Petroleum Development Corporation Limited (SPDC) in Nigeria to revitalise its environmental impact assessment (EIA) procedures, with the aim of improving the company's informal social licence to operate and of 'fast-tracking' environmental clearance. The partnership-building process around the EIA for the Utapate project has centred on three key meetings, namely a scoping workshop held in Port Harcourt in September 2001, a meeting of working-group members in Iko Town in October 2001, and a public meeting at Okoroete community in April 2002. The objective of the meeting was to reach consensus on a partnering agreement for stakeholder involvement in the EIA studies of the Utapate project. SPDC already has multi-sector partnering experience associated with its community development programmes, such as in healthcare, infrastructure and local business development. Despite the criticisms of SPDC, it also appears that communities are reluctant for SPDC to withdraw from the provision of community development benefits.
