ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES RELATED TO OIL AND GAS PRODUCTION.

What is Environment?

The word environment is defined as all the thing around us and including all the things upon which we depend are environment. Environment is a complex ecological system. if one part is effected the other part of this system will also affected.

The environment include:

Air

Water

Soil

Plants

Animals

ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES RELATED TO OIL AND GAS PRODUCTION:

1. Global warming.

2. Water pollution.

3. Contaminated land.

4. Climate change.

5. Wild life.

6. Agricultural land.

7. Resources depletion

8. Acid rain.

9. Ozone layer.

10. Solid waste

11 Air pollution.

Global Warming:

Human activities such as burning of oil and gas and coal is responsible for the increasing of carbon dioxide level.

Increasing the level of carbon dioxide cause the green house effects.

The “Green house effect” responsible for the weather changes.

Causing storms, flood, excessive rains, no rain for longer period of time, barren land.

“Green house effect” also responsible for sea level raise due to melting of glaciers by increase of temperature in polar regions.

 Global warming take place due to certain gasses which are present in earth’s atmosphere.

These gasses responsible for increases the temperature of earth’s surface.

These gasses some of the heat from the sun and has a natural effect on the earth, by keeping it warm enough to support life. Without these gases, the earths surface would be 30 degree C less than it is today.               

Water pollution:

Water pollution is contamination of water bodies with toxic material.

The example of water bodies are lakes, oceans, aquifers, rivers and groundwater.

Water pollution can be happened on the land or in the ocean.

Water pollution happened when toxic waste material discharge in to water body.

Toxic material discharge into water bodies without recycling and after recycling.

The waste material did not treated properly to remove the harmful compounds.

Water pollution affects the plants and organism living in these water bodies.

Water pollution also affect the agricultural land and human beings.

Water pollution affect the whole biological communities.

In the ocean pollution affect the fishes and other animals living in the oceans.

Water pollution make the land into toxic land.

Water pollution damage the agriculture.

Contaminated Land:

When soil is became toxic and not able to use for agricultural purposes.

Due to damping of toxic waste the land became contaminated.

Contaminated land contains substances in or under the land that are actually or potentially hazardous to health and environment.

Areas with a long history of industrial production.

Indeed pollution often used to be regarded as a normal consequence of industrial activity.

Industrial waste causes many sites around the world are contaminated with a wide range of substances.

By harmful substances being blown through the air to contaminate neighbouring areas.

Restoring  contaminated land can be difficult and extremely costly.

Only effective solution is contamination must be avoided in the future.

It also has an adverse effect on surrounding areas.

Through seepage into ground waters.

Climate change:

is related to global warming.

c. Oil and gas production have big impact on climate change.

d. Increasing pollution due to emission of carbon dioxide causes the climate change.

e. Greenhouse gases emission responsible for the climate change.

f. Due to climate change the temperature increases in the polar region of earth which cause the melting of glacier.

g. Due to climate change the sea level is rises gradually.

h. Climate change also responsible in shortage of raining seasons.

Climate change turning the agriculture land into barren land.

Climate change changes the forest into deserts.

Acid rain:

Emission of carbon dioxide is responsible for the acid rain.

Increase in sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxide also responsible for acid rain.

Smokes from cars and power stations are release the nitrogen oxide and sulphur dioxide.

Nitrogen oxide and sulphur dioxide react with moisture in the air.

Reaction of moisture and nitrogen oxide produce increase in acidity.

Acid rain have huge impact on lakes, forests, stream and agriculture land around the world.

Acid rain also called rain deposition.

Acid rain include snow, fog, hail and dusts.

Acid rain have also affect the soils and fresh water.

It kill the insect and aquatic life.

It also cause corrosion of steel structure such as bridges, weathering of building stone.

It also affect the human health.

Air pollution:

This is another big issue that the whole world is facing.

Increase in industries and automobile industries.

Consumption of oil and gas are mainly responsible for the air pollution.

Air pollution have big side effects on the human life.

It is responsible for increase in breathing problems, eye sighting, lung cancer.

Air pollution also affect the flora and fauna.

Air pollution responsible for green house effect and global warming.

Air pollution is a mixture of solid particles and gases in the air.

Car emissions, chemicals from factories, dust, pollen and mold spores may be suspended as particles.

Ozone, a gas, is a major part of air pollution in cities. when ozone forms air pollution, it’s also called smog.

Some air pollutants are poisonous.

SOLID WASTE:

Solid wastes generated from oil and gas industrial activities are very different in their characteristics.

Large in their amounts.

Hazardous in nature.

Solid waste causing land and air pollution.

Solid waste also responsible for water pollution.

It can cause diseases.

Solid waste can be liquid, solid and semi solid.

Well drilling and completion stage

Wastes produced:

Drilling fluids (drilling muds), cuttings, produced water

Well stimulation stage (hydraulic fracturing)

Wastes produced:

Fracturing fluid returns, produced water

Well production stage

Wastes produced: produced water

Ozone layer:

Ozone layer is a protective layer around the earth’s atmosphere.

Ozone layer protect the surface of earth from dangerous and harmful rays from sun.

Ozone layer block the ultra-violet rays.

It protect the plants, animals and human being.

Ozone layer is exist above 30-40 kilometer from earth surface.

Ozone layer act as filter.

Ozone layer is damaging due to increase in emission of carbon dioxides and other gasses.

Exposure to ultraviolet rays can cause skin cancer and damage the eyes.

Ozone layer being broken down because of cfcs being released into the atmosphere.

Found in aerosol cans, spray paints, solvents & refrigeration equip.

Ozone layer can be protected by planting trees.

Control on emission from vehicles and factories.

Resources depletion:

Human activities, including manufacturing are using the earths resources at an alarming rate.

Many of these, for example Oil – Gas deposits are finite.

(Oil remember is the basis of virtually every piece of plastic or soap you use.)

Other materials are drawn from unique habitats

such as the timber from Rainforests and Peat from Moor lands etc.

If exploited too far or not replaced

these resources will run out and the environmental system which supports the various plants and animals destroyed forever.

Agriculture Land:

Agriculture and fisheries are highly dependent on the climate.

Crude oil exploration has caused to environmental problems in the producing communities.

Oil and gas production affected livelihood activities in agriculture leading to low income.

For example in Nigeria oil and gas production highly damage the agriculture land.

The production of oil and gas contaminated the soil.

It also polluted the water and air.

Which leads to affect the agriculture production.

The waste of oil and gas industries polluted the soil

The land not able to produce the crops again.

WILD LIFE AND MARINE LIFE:

WILD LIFE AND MARINE LIFE HIGHLY AFFECTED BY ACTIVITIES OF OIL AND GAS PRODUCTION.

THE RAW MATERIAL AND WASTE OF OIL AND GAS COMPANIES HAVE DEADLY EFFECTS ON WILD AND MARINE LIFE.

OIL SPILL RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DEATH OF MARINE LIFE.

THE WASTE OF OIL AND GAS PRODUCTION  POLLUTED THE INHEBITANT OF MARINE LIFE.

How to control environment issues:

1. No wastewaters shall be discharged without appropriate treatment into rivers.

2. Other locations where infiltration may occur.

3. Water effluents may be treated by: neutralization, evaporation, aeration, flocculation, oil and grease separation etc.

4. Water waste discharges into water bodies must treated with standards governed by laws and regulations adopted in each country.

5. Materials that may seep due to rains must be placed in covered storage areas equipped with drainage systems.

 6. In order to avoid contamination of rain waters.

7. Areas for storing and handling of raw materials and products should be waterproofed and have a drainage system.

8. Spills and wash waters can be directed to treatments.

9. Particulate emissions can be controlled.

 10. Equipment should used cyclones, bag filters, electrostatic precipitators and scrubbers, among others.

11. Acidic emissions such as sulfur and nitrogen oxides can be controlled with the use of wet scrubbers.

 12. Dust emissions from patios and outdoor areas free from chemical contaminants can be controlled with water sprays.

13. Solid wastes that cannot be recycled must be treated appropriately before final disposal.

14. The choice of appropriate treatment must comply with the waste classification according to the pertinent regulation.

15. Depending on the nature of the waste, possible treatment methods should be used.

16. Should these treatments be unavailable at the site, the waste may be treated in other plants with suitable facilities, in which case special care must be taken.

17. Acoustic treatments by enclosure of equipment.

18. Soundproofing buildings that hold loud equipment and units that operate at significant noise levels.

19. If the waste is not treated immediately after being generated, there must be suitable areas for storage at the plant site.

20. Preventive maintenance of equipment and storage areas, to prevent occasional leaks.

21. Dikes and catch basins placed around or downstream from dangerous or environmentally hazardous materials storage tanks.