The Saloum Delta
The Saloum Delta, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the largest Ramsar wetlands in West Africa, is under threat.
This ecologically rich region, with over 200 islands and islets, faces significant risks from large-scale offshore oil and gas projects led by American Kosmos Energy, UK’s BP, Australia’s Woodside Energy, and Senegal’s Petrosen. The Delta is home to Senegal’s second-largest national park and over 100,000 people. We cannot allow offshore drilling to threaten the delta and its inhabitants.
Background
Senegal is poised to become a prominent African player in the destructive oil and gas sector, with three significant projects underway:
- Grand Tortue Ahmeyim (GTA): A 15 trillion cubic feet gas project that cuts across borders and is operated by BP (which owns over half the project) alongside American Kosmos Energy, Senegal’s PETROSEN, and Mauritania’s SMPHM.
- Yakaar-Teranga: An estimated 25 trillion cubic feet gas project, formerly operated by BP and now managed by majority stakeholder Kosmos Energy and PETROSEN.
- Sangomar: An oil and gas project expected to produce 100,000 barrels per day, operated by Australian company Woodside Energy as the majority stakeholder, with PETROSEN holding a minority stake.
These developments pose an existential threat to the Saloum Delta, home to Senegal’s second-largest national park (Parc National du Delta du Saloum) and over 100,000 people, predominantly from the Serer and Mandingo communities. They rely heavily on the delta’s natural resources, with fishing and seafood gathering as primary sources of income for thousands of women and their families.
The Saloum Delta is already bearing the brunt of climate change, with impacts including coastal erosion, destruction of mangrove forests, loss of arable land, salinization of water, and a significant decline in fish stocks. These changes have exacerbated poverty and forced migration, with many young people risking their lives to migrate to Europe due to the scarcity of local resources.
African civil society is already taking action against offshore oil and gas: In August 2024, the FishNet Alliance, which represents fishers from across Africa, met in Durban, South Africa. The General Assembly and Conference observed that “The offshore extraction activities, oil and gas infrastructure installations are dangerous and destructive of the livelihoods of coastal communities” and declared that “All deltas and protected areas in Africa must be declared no-mining, no-exploitation zones.”
Current threats and issueS
- Loss of Biodiversity Oil and gas development threatens the rich marine and terrestrial biodiversity of the Saloum Delta, including fish species, birds, and mangroves.
- Water Pollution Potential oil spills, toxic waste, and industrial runoff could contaminate the delta’s waters, affecting both marine life and local communities dependent on clean water for domestic and agricultural purposes.
- Coastal Erosion Accelerated sea-level rise and coastal erosion, exacerbated by oil extraction activities, could lead to the loss of vital land, including areas used for fishing and agriculture.
- Disruption of Livelihoods Local communities, especially women and those reliant on fishing and seafood gathering, face economic hardships due to the pollution and degradation of their natural resources and reduced fishing zones.
- Climate Change Impact The exploitation of fossil fuels contributes to global climate change, further intensifying the environmental challenges in the Saloum Delta, such as desertification and the salinization of arable land.
Explore the data
The map below shows how close offshore drilling is to the Saloum Delta. Using the layer options on the left side you can also show and hide various datasets, including population density and mangrove forests.
This map is provided by Fossil Fuel Atlas. You can explore the map on their site here.