Environmental impact analyses of gas flaring in the Niger delta region of Nigeria

Abstract

Gas flaringis the burning of natural gas and petroleum hydrocarbons in flare stacks by upstream oil companies in oil fields during operations. Gas flaring is the singular and most common source of global warming and contributes to emissions of carbon monoxide, nitrogen (II) oxide and methane which have the propensity of causing environmental pollution and ecological disturbances or destruction. This research explore and presents a method of analysing the environmental impact of gas flaring in the Niger Delta so to provide the data required for the complete analysis and evaluation of the various observed and noted health and environmental effects of gas flaring in Niger Delta. The major environmental impacts considered in the study are environmental pollution, and ecological disturbance or destruction. Several visitations to the neighbouring communities adjacent to most gas flare locations were carried out to ascertain any existence of common environmental hazards. Data was gathered through a well designed and articulating oral and written questionnaires, direct and first-hand observation of their environment, and comprehensive interview sessions with community heads (royal authorities where possible), patients and youth. Different samples at various proximities from the gas flare locations were taken and measurements and experimentations were meticulously carried out. The result obtained in this research shows a marked trend as all the parameters considered showed a gradient away from the flare point in all the flow stations such as soil pH changing from acidic (4.0-4.2) to near neutral (6.4-6.6) away from the flare points and the average low soil moisture content of (17% - 23%) as against 40% for the (10m and 20m) and control distance. The quantity of carbon emitted by these flare is about 2525000.00 tonnes of carbon per day. These values portray a bad omen for the affected communities. This study recommends that gas flaring should be seen as violet action against the people and that the flared gas should be channelled to meeting the ever increasing demand for energy in the industrial sector of the economy.