Gloria Usiagu advocates for adaptive environmental policies in global oil and gas operations

Standing at the helm of operations that process over 1 billion standard cubic feet of gas daily, Gloria Siwe Usiagu has developed a nuanced perspective on how environmental policies should evolve to address the complex realities of oil and gas operations across different continents.

Her experience managing critical energy infrastructure in Nigeria while observing global regulatory trends has convinced her that environmental policies must be both ambitious and contextually intelligent.

“Environmental policies cannot be copy-and-paste solutions,” Usiagu argues, drawing from her extensive experience overseeing Shell's most complex production facilities.

“What works in Texas may not be applicable in Lagos, and what succeeds in Aberdeen might fail in Port Harcourt. Effective environmental policy requires understanding local contexts while maintaining global environmental standards.”

Her perspective is shaped by managing operations where environmental compliance directly intersects with energy security concerns.

In her leadership of the Gbaran/Kolo Creek Production Unit, responsible for 60% of Nigeria's LNG gas supply and 60% of oil export, she navigated complex environmental requirements, including flare limits and Asset integrity management, while ensuring uninterrupted energy delivery to millions of consumers.

“You realize that environmental policies aren't just about protecting ecosystems, they're about creating sustainable frameworks for energy development that communities depend on.”

Usiagu advocates for what she calls “adaptive environmental governance,” policies that maintain rigorous environmental standards while acknowledging different developmental stages and resource constraints across regions.

Her experience implementing digital optimization solutions that reduced environmental impact while improving operational efficiency and re-routing projects, leading to a massive flare reduction, e.g., the rerouting of Nun River/Diebu Creek production to the Gbaran Central Processing Facility (CPF), which achieved a flare reduction of 2MMscf from over 15MMscf, exemplifies this approach.

“The most effective environmental policies are those that make good environmental practices and also good business practices.”

Her leadership in safety and environmental initiatives, including winning Shell's 2022 Digitalization and Technology Impact Award, demonstrates how innovation can bridge environmental protection and operational excellence.

“Advanced monitoring systems, predictive analytics, and real-time environmental tracking don't just ensure compliance – they reveal optimization opportunities that benefit both environmental and economic performance.”

The Energy leader particularly emphasises the importance of community engagement in environmental policy development. Her experience managing operations across diverse Nigerian communities has shown her how environmental policies succeed or fail based on local acceptance and understanding.

“Environmental policies that ignore community perspectives are fundamentally flawed. Local communities are often the most effective environmental monitors when they're included as partners rather than treated as obstacles.”

Usiagu's perspective on international environmental standards reflects her experience working within global frameworks while addressing local challenges.

“International standards provide important benchmarks, but implementation requires local adaptation. The goal should be achieving equivalent environmental outcomes through methods that work within local contexts.”

She advocates for what she terms ‘leapfrog environmental policies’, frameworks that allow developing regions to adopt advanced environmental technologies and practices without following the same developmental trajectory as established industrial economies.

“Why should African operations use yesterday's environmental technologies when today's solutions are more effective and often more cost-efficient?”

Her experience managing ahead-of-schedule turnaround maintenance projects that delivered environmental improvements while reducing costs illustrates her conviction that environmental policies should incentivize innovation rather than simply mandate compliance.

“The best environmental policies create competitive advantages for companies that exceed standards rather than just penalties for those who fall short.”

“Environmental policies will only succeed if they recognize that sustainable development requires balancing environmental protection with economic development and social progress,” Usiagu concludes.

“The future of oil and gas operations depends on environmental frameworks that are both globally consistent and locally relevant, creating pathways for responsible energy development that communities can support and economies can sustain.”