The Political Ecology of Oil and Gas Activities in the Nigerian Aquatic Ecosystem

Prince Emeka Ndimele

• Publisher: Academic Press
• Year: 2017
• Print ISBN: 9780128093993
• eBook ISBN: 9780128096284
• Topic: Biological Sciences
• Subtopic: Environmental Science
• Index: Biological Sciences

The Political Ecology of Oil and Gas Activities in the Nigerian Aquatic Ecosystem reviews the current status of the ecosystems and economic implications of oil and gas development in Nigeria, a key oil-producing state. The ecological and economic impacts of oil and gas development, particularly in developing nations, are crucial topics for ecologists, natural resource professionals and pollution researchers to understand. This book takes an integrative approach to these problems through the lens of one of the key oil-producing nations, linking natural and human systems through the valuation of ecosystem services.- Provides background information on Nigerian aquatic environments, its local history of oil exploration and a review of the physical chemistry of crude oil- Reviews global and national perspectives on the oil and gas industry from a physical ecological, to a socio-political and economic ecological perspective- Demonstrates real-life situations of the interactions and impacts of Nigerian petroleum production on the environment and local populations through case studies

Section II

The Effects of Crude Oil Exploration on the Socio-cultural and Eco-economics of Nigerian Environment

Outline

Chapter 7 The Impacts of Seismic Activities on the Geology of Oil-Producing Regions of Nigeria

Chapter 8 The Effects of Crude Oil Exploration on Fish and Fisheries of Nigerian Aquatic Ecosystems

Chapter 9 The Impacts of Petroleum Production on Terrestrial Fauna and Flora in the Oil-Producing Region of Nigeria

Chapter 10 Petroleum Industry Activities and Human Health

Chapter 11 Occurrence of Radioactive Elements in Oil-Producing Region of Nigeria

Chapter 12 Mapping and Modeling Ecosystem Services in Petroleum-Producing Areas in Nigeria

Chapter 13 The Socio-Cultural Implications of Crude Oil Exploration in Nigeria

Chapter 14 The Eco-Economics of Crude Oil Exploration in Nigeria

Chapter 15 Managing Nigeria’s Aquatic Resources

Chapter 16 Trade-off Analyses of Ecosystem Services in Nigerian Waters

Chapter 17 Land Use/Land Cover Change in Petroleum-Producing Regions of Nigeria

Chapter 18 Petroleum Industry Activities and Climate Change

Chapter 7

The Impacts of Seismic Activities on the Geology of Oil-Producing Regions of Nigeria

Oluwaseun Omolaja Fadeyi¹ and John Olurotimi Amigun², ¹University of Trier, Trier, Germany, ²Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria

Abstract

The oil-producing regions of Nigeria, otherwise known as the Niger Delta, have suffered tremendously from the impacts of hydrocarbon exploration. These environmental issues have resulted in poverty amongst the inhabitants as agricultural land that represents a means of livelihood has been contaminated. Water bodies as well as biodiversity have also felt the impact of continuous crude oil prospecting within the area. Gas-flaring events in the Niger Delta represent the highest in Africa, further compounding the problem of environmental degradation within the region. Thus, there is a popular fear that climate change and global warming impacts may be highly felt in the near future if the current emission rate continue. Furthermore, continuous puncturing of the ground as a result of mixed oil target may also come back to haunt the host communities. This is because groundwater aquifers are exposed and subsequently polluted, which may eventually result in water scarcity. This paper reveals the different impacts of seismic activities.

Keywords

Pollution; seismic activities; contamination; Niger Delta; hydrocarbon; exploration

7.1 Introduction

Nigeria is comprised of different agro-ecological zones, one of which is the freshwater swamp forest where the popular oil-producing “Niger Delta” region is located. This distinctive land mass covers an area of approximately 70,000 km², a figure that accounts for approximately 8% of the total land area of the country (Mmom & Igbuku, 2015). Politically, oil-producing areas in Nigeria are comprised of 10 states, with Anambra State being the most recent inclusion. Mmom and Igbuku (2015) further reiterated that the population in the area is approximately 31 million spreading across 40 ethnic backgrounds with more than 200 spoken dialects that differ significantly from one another. Major groups in the region include the Ijaws, Itsekiris, Isokos, and Urhobos, as well as the Ogoni people. Economic analysts according to Mmom (2003) have estimated that close to 70% of the region is rural, whereas the rest is urban. Hence, the poverty level is quite high as about 66% of the populace live on an average monthly earning of USD75. However, the region accounts for approximately 90% of Nigeria’s export earnings and 70% of national revenue, the majority of which are derived from crude oil (Akinyetun, 2016). With the many benefits derived nationally from the Niger Delta region, it is rather surprising that this oil-rich region suffers the direct impacts of exploitation and exploration of crude oil, so much so that the area still languishes in the pains and poverty due to drawbacks in socioeconomic and infrastructural development. Furthermore, some of the impacts of crude oil exploration have in the past resulted in loss of lives. It is also documented that destruction of flora and fauna seem to result in unemployment, among other notable impacts of crude oil exploration and exploitation (Ogwu, Badamasuiy, & Joseph, 2015). As a result, oil, which should be a (re)source of blessing, is now seen as a curse due to the many challenges emanating from its exploration and production.

Seismic activities within oil-producing areas of Nigeria are mainly associated with hydrocarbon drilling programs. Seismic surveys provide detailed information both onshore and offshore as to the depth and extent of the target (oil or gas), depending on the aim of the survey. Seismic reflection and seismic refraction are two geophysical methods mainly employed for hydrocarbon exploration. Generally, seismic surveys involve sending energy into the ground with the use of wave-generating devices or explosives (Ifiok & Igboekwe, 2011). As the wave travels within the subsurface, it hits several rock layers. Hence, depending on the density of each layer hit, the waves are either reflected or refracted. Waves that succeed in getting back to the surface are recorded by a device known as a geophone connected to impulse-reading computer tapes and a computer for detailed geophysical interpretation. On land, vibreosis can be used to generate sound waves, whereas airguns are used offshore. Rather than geophones, hydrophones are used to detect waves returning to the surface in offshore seismic surveys (Fig. 7.1).

Figure 7.1 Map of Nigeria showing the oil-producing states in the Niger Delta region. Source: Ite, A.E., Ibok, U.J., Ite, M.U. and Petters, S.W. (2013). Petroleum exploration and production: Past and present environmental issues in the Nigeria’s Niger Delta. American Journal of Environmental Protection, 1(4): 78–90.

7.2 Seismic Activities: Offshore/Onshore Impacts

The impacts of seismic activities are enormous, depending on whether the survey in question is onshore or offshore. Several literature exist with respect to the impacts of hydrocarbon exploration and exploitation, particularly within the marine environment of the Niger Delta. Land-based impacts of seismic activities vary from place to place. Some of the impacts so far experienced since exploration and exploitation commenced within the Niger Delta are discussed in subsequent sections of this paper. To better understand the impacts associated with spills, there is need to understand the occurrence of hydrocarbon within marine environments and in soils. In marine environments, oil may be seen to float or remain at the deeper part of the water surface. This depends on the density and type of oil. In soils, oil occurs in different states; in a gaseous states through volatilization, in a solid state through adsorption to soil particles, in a liquid state through dissolution in soil water, and in an immiscible state (a state in which fuels and other chlorinated hydrocarbons may be present in individual phases) (Konečný, Boháček, Müller, Kovářová, & Sedláčková, 2003).

7.2.1 Spills

Most environmental concerns associated with seismic activities are mostly the results of spill and in some cases noise. Crude oil, which has its merit as the main source of Nigeria’s economy, has also been described as one of the major environmental pollutants within the Niger Delta region (Imasuen & Omorogieva, 2013). This is due to the reoccurrence of oil spill events that give rise to environmental degradation, soil depletion, water contamination, and ...

Table of contents

• Cover image
• Title page
• Table of Contents
• Copyright
• About the Editor
• List of Contributors
• Foreword
• Introduction
• Section I: Background Information on Petroleum Industry Activities and the Nigerian Environment
• Section II: The Effects of Crude Oil Exploration on the Socio-cultural and Eco-economics of Nigerian Environment
• Section III: Petroleum Industry Challenges and their Solutions
• Section IV: Case Studies
• Index