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«Экономика строительства» № 2 (68) /2021
АКТУАЛЬНЫЕ ПРОБЛЕМЫ
УДК 504.03
Effects of gas flaring to the Nigerian ecology
EYO J. E., Department of Ecology, Peoples Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University), 6 Miklukho- Maklaya Street, Moscow, 117198, Russian Federation;
CHIADIGHIKAOBIP. C., Pacherozi Engineering and Materials Nigeria Limited, 14 Chief Andy Obidike Lane, off Udeagbala Road, Ayaba Umueze, Osisioma, Abia State, Nigeria
Keywords: gas flaring, global climate change, gas flaring in ecology, Niger Delta
Nigeria is an oil and gas producing nation. The Niger Delta is the Nigerian oil and gas province. About 10 - 40% of produced associated gas is underutilized and is flared into the environment. This is the usual trend in the Nigerian oil and gas industry. Environmental pollution arising from gas flaring has impacted the ecosystem of Niger Delta region of Nigeria. The main stresses relative to oil and gas operations arise from gas flaring. Gas flaring has adverse impacts on the environmental components and its associated biota. This paper reviews the impacts of gas flaring on the agriculture and water quality resources in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. The study found that gas flaring alters water ions (especially sulphate, carbonate, nitrate), pH, conductivity heavy metals (such as lead and iron) concentration, especially in rainwater. It also affects agriculture leading to decrease in growth and productivity probably due to changes in soil quality parameters.
Воздействие сжигания газа на экологию Нигерии
ЭЙО Д. Э., Департамент Современные Исследования Окружающей Среды, Российский Университет Дружбы Наровов (РУДН);
ЧИАДИГХИКАОБИП. Ч., Пачерози Инженерный и Материалов Нигерия Лимитед. 14 Чеф Анди Обидики Лен, офф Удеагвала, Аяба Умуезе, Осисиома, Абиа штат, Нигерия
Ключевые слова: сжигание газа на факелах, глобальное изменение климата, сжигание газа в экологии, дельта Нигера.
Нигерия - нефтегазодобывающая страна. Дельта Нигера - нигерийская нефтегазовая провинция. Около 10 - 40% добываемого попутного газа
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недоиспользуется и сжигается в факелах. Это обычная тенденция в нигерийской нефтегазовой промышленности. Загрязнение окружающей среды в результате сжигания газа в факелах повлияло на экосистему района дельты Нигера в Нигерии. Основные нагрузки, связанные с добычей нефти и газа, возникают в результате сжигания газа в факелах. Сжигание газа в факелах оказывает неблагоприятное воздействие на компоненты окружающей среды и связанную с ними биоту. В этой статье рассматриваются последствия сжигания газа в факелах для сельского хозяйства и качества воды в районе дельты Нигера в Нигерии. Исследование показало, что газовое сжигание изменяет концентрацию ионов воды (особенно сульфатов, карбонатов, нитратов), pH, проводимость тяжелых металлов (таких как свинец и железо), особенно в дождевой воде. Это оказывает влияние как на сельское хозяйство, так и на экономику страны, приводя к снижению роста и производительности, вероятно, в связи с изменением параметров качества почвы.
Globally, high amount of gas is flared into the environment by oil and gas producing countries. Nigeria being among the world producing nations, flare a significant number of natural gases into the environment through flaring stack (fig. 1).
Gas flaring is one of the most challenging energy and global environmental problems facing our present today [1]. The flaring involves the controlled burning of natural gas that is associated with crude oil during routine oil and gas production operations from gas fields [2]. The process is a multi-billion-dollar waste, a local environmental catastrophe and a global energy and environmental problem which has persisted for decades particularly in the Niger-Delta region of Nigeria [1]. Gas flaring has negative effects on the immediate
Fig.1. Gasflaring stack https://www.dw.com/en/gas-flaring-continues-scorching-niger-delta/a-46088235
environment, particularly on the diversity of plants and wildlife fauna.
Gas flaring typically has two valves, the high and low gas pressure valves. Hence, the concentration of emissions, noise, released is a function of the valve used in flaring the gas as well as the physical composition of the gas prior to flaring. The flared gases affect several environmental components as well as its biotic composition. The section of the paper affects the impact of gas flaring on water quality and vegetation resources.
Gas flaring is a menace which has contributes negatively to climate change with serious environmental implications for both Nigeria, and the rest of the world in term of its biodiversity.
The flares associated with gas flaring give rise to atmospheric contaminants. These include oxides of Nitrogen, Carbon and Sulphur (NO2, CO2, CO, SO2), particulate matter, hydrocarbons and ash, photochemical oxidants, and hydrogen sulphide (H2S) [3]. These contaminants acidify the soil, hence depleting soil nutrient. Previous studies have shown that the nutritional values of crops within such vicinity are reduced [4]. In most cases, there is no vegetation in the areas surrounding the flare due partly to the tremendous heat that is produced and acidic nature of soil pH [5]. The effects of the changes in temperature on crops included stunted growth, scotched plants, and such other effects as withered young crops [6] (fig. 2). He concluded that the soils of the study area are fast losing their fertility and capacity for sustainable agriculture due to the acidification of the soils by the various pollutants associated with gas flaring in the area.
Plants are a major source of active nutrients required by the body. Plants are source of carbohydrate, protein, lipid and other minerals and vitamins depending on species. Vegetation is also source of food for livestock especially omnivorous animals such as goat, cow, grass cutter, rabbits etc. Vegetation cover is also a source of habitat to several wildlife species especially bushmeat that do not burrow. Some notable vegetation is found in close to farmland and residential area such as cassava and oil palm. These are two predominant vegetation cover used as food found close to gas flaring location in the Niger Delta. Gas flaring has the tendency to affect several plant species [7] especially
Fig.2. Effect of gas flaring on agriculture
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productivity and growth [8]. For instance, Lawanson [9] reported that gas flaring decreases the length and weight of cassava and increase its amino acid and total sugar contents as the distance from the flares decreases. The authors furthered reported that such decreases were also correlated with decreases in the content of starch and ascorbic acid (vitamin C) in the tubers. Based on survey study in the Niger Delta region, 77% of the resident is with the opinion that gas flaring affect vegetation and agricultural activities [10]. In a similar study the resident of Ebedei community in Delta state 94.6, 90, 98.75, 50.4 and 5% is with the opinion that gas flaring affect food such as yam, cassava, okra, plantain, and potatoes [8]. Gas flaring can also cause deforestation and acid rain [8]. According to Ezenwaji et al. [11], exploitation of crude oil and
associated gas flaring is a major contributor of acid rain in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria has had a long history [11]. Acid rain could lead to loss of vegetation [12] and several symptoms in plants that could lead to their death. Some of the notable symptoms include chlorosis, abscission and yellowing of leaves, wilting of the leaf tips and accelerated senescence, root and shoot of plants are also destroyed and microbial community that aid in decompositions processes [13]. The impacts of acid rain on vegetation structures and cover is most severe close to gas flaring stack [13]. Acid rain result in the decline in productivity and growth of some major food crops such as cassava, sweet potatoes, maize, melon, plantain, and cash crop like rubber [13]. The impacts in the growth and productivity of crops could also be an indication that the soil fertility have been impacted upon. This may lead to loss of vital soil nutrients that encourage the growth of plants. Other authors have comprehensively reported the effect acid rain on vegetation have been documented by Jacobson [14], Neufeld et al. [15], Efe [16]. Plants are known to pharmacological and bioactive composition [17, 18]. The composition of the bioactive constitutes play a significant role in determining their medicinal properties. The effect of gas flaring on the nutritional and bioactive component of vegetation established. For instance, Ifemeje [19] reported gas flaring could change the anti-nutrient compositions (alkaloid, phytate, oxalate, Saponin, tannin and cyanogenic glycosides) in some common vegetables used for food purposes such as scent leaf, bitter leaf, water leaf and fluted pumpkin leaf. Ujowundu et al. [20] also reported impacts in phytochemical (alkaloid, tannin, cyanogenic glycoside, phytate), proximate composition (moisture, ash,protein and carbohydrate), micronutrients (calcium, sodium, magnesium, potassium and phosphorus) and vitamins (riboflavin, vitamin E and C) in African breadfruit and Bambara groundnuts planted close to gas flaring stack.
Water resources are typically needed for the sustenance of life, growth, and development [21-33]. Water serve as habitant to several biodiversity especially fisheries (shelled and finfish), aquatic reptiles, mammals, birds and breeding ground for several other diversity such as frog, parasite of medical importancesuch as Schistome, and vectors transmitting diseases such as mosquitoes. As such water has a unique place for life to thrive. Water is also used for domestic purposes such as washing, cooking, bathing [34]. Most water resources are from surface water, groundwater, and rainwater [23]. Izah et al. [21] is with the opinion that groundwater is mostly consumed in the Niger Delta and surface water and rainwater also serve as potable water sources in regions that groundwater/ borehole water is unavailable. Water is typically impacted by gas flaring activities. Authors have variously reported that some water quality parameters of surface water, ground water and rainwater are affected in gas flaring locations in the Niger Delta. For instance, Dami et
al. [35] studied the impacts gas flaring and oil spillage on rainwater quality for domestic use in Okpai and Beneku areas of Delta State and reported that temperature, taste, color, conductivity, total dissolved, salts and alkalinity were altered when compared to the permissible limits specified by National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, United State Environmental Protection Agency and World Health Organization for drinking water. Dami et al. [36] studied the impacts of gas flaring and oil spillage on groundwater quality for domestic use in Okpai and Beneku areas of Delta State and reported that color is majorly impacted and to lesser extent conductivity were affected in some locations due to accumulation of dissolved salts and other organic materials when compared to World Health Organization standard. Nwankwo and Ogagarue [37] studied the effect of gas flaring in surface and groundwater quality in Delta state and reported that water from gas flaring area contain higher concentrations of metals such as barium, cyanide, selenium, cadmium, chromium, iron, manganese and copper, conductivity, color and taste when compared to non-flaring location. Emumejaye [38] studied the effects of gas flaring on surface and ground water (fig. 3) in Irri town and environs and reported that high content of iron and lead in the water which the author attributed to gas flaring in the area. Ezenwaji et al. [39] studied the effects of gas flaring on rainwater quality in Bayelsa State and reported that all the parameters studied including temperature, lead, conductivity, total dissolved solid, nitrate, carbonate, sulphate and pH had values above World Health Organization permissible limits.
Gas flaring and its impacts in Nigeria Niger Delta on ecology have continued for decades ever since the exploration of crude oil and natural gas began. With the continuous increase in demand for energy from fossil fuels like hydrocarbons in the next few decades, different researchers need to come together harnessing research works of decades in the oil and gas industry, academia and governments to determine ways of reducing gas flaring drastically in order to also prevent ecology destruction through flaring.
Fig.3. EEffect of gas flaring on surface water
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Авторы
ЭЙО Джозеф Эдэт, Департамент Современные Исследования Окружающей Среды, Российский Университет Дружбы Наровов (РУДН); e-mail: [email protected];
ЧИАДИГХИКАОБИПаскал Чимеремезе, Пачерози Инженерный и Материалов Нигерия Ли-митед. 14 Чеф Анди Обидики Лен, офф Удеагвала; Аяба Умуезе, Осисиома, Абиа штат, Нигерия; e-mail: [email protected]
