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GAS FLARING AND IT'S EFFECT ON THE ENVIRONMENT

ABSTRACT

       The atmosphere is kind. It takes the carbon dioxide (CO2) and other heat-trapping greenhouse gases that humans create and disperses them equally all over the world. But that is also its cruelty. The accumulation of these waste gases over the decades, disproportionately from industrial countries but increasingly from some developing ones, is over-whelming the planet‘s energy balance and heating up its surface and affecting human wellbeing. Gas flaring and thermal plants emissions in the Niger Delta region are example of such pollutions, this accumulation must end, but how that would happen is hard to imagine. Ecological economics framework is suggested as a more fruitful approach to socio-economic and environmental problems than the now dominant neoclassical paradigm. The background and theories of Neo-classical and ecological economics is given in this paper, as well as the main characteristics of their approach. Differences between neoclassical and ecological economics are elaborated with respect to the concept of sustainability and economics (reductionist versus holistic), the approach to decision making (aggregated versus highly disaggregated), and the view of social and institutional change. This study is to understand how theories and practice of organization and environmental management in Niger Delta region are functioned; these issues will be analyzed through an Ecological and Neoclassical economics theories on the emission of uncontrolled air pollutants from all the existing and proposed thermal plants/gas flaring in the country. Calculations are performed to study the distribution of carbon monoxide (CO), oxides of nitrogen (NOX), particulate matters (PM), sulphur dioxide (SO2), and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The estimated emissions ranges are 978–24,607, 1635–41,148, 37–924, 19– 472, and 11–286 ton/annum for CO, NOX, PM, SO2, and VOCs, respectively. The present locations of these plants across the country are characterized by skewed emission distribution both per capita and across the land. Given the potential environmental and health impacts of these emissions, several measures are suggested to reduce future impacts and assist the country in achieving sustainable development. Key results of the study are: We identify two primary scientific clusters, one clearly confirming the existence of the ecological-economics school of thought, and the other largely capturing the neoclassical environmental view. Yet, there are some surprising exceptions: Both schools of thought share a conceptual definition of sustainability that is integrative in considering ecological, societal and economic dimensions (‗three pillar concept‘) and is geared at preserving the development potentials of society. `

1.1     INTRODUCTION

The impact of gas flaring is of local and global concern. Gas flaring is one of the most challenging energy and environmental problems facing the world today whether regionally or globally. It is a multi-billion dollar waste, a local environmental catastrophe and a global energy and environmental problem which had persisted for decades. The World Bank has estimated that the annual volume of associated gas being flared and vented is about 110 billion cubic meters, which is enough fuel to providing the combined annual natural gas consumption of Germany and France.  Flaring in Africa is about thirty seven billion cubic meters in the year 2000, which could produce 200 Terawatt hours (Twh) of electricity. And which is also about 50% of the cement power consumption of the African continent and more than twice the level of power consumption in sub-Saharan African with the exception of the republic of south African.             Gas flaring is a common practice  in the oil and gas production processes  globally, Libya for instance flares about  21% of its natural gas, while  said Arabia, Canada and Algeria flare 20%, 8% and 50% respectively. This implies that Nigeria has one of the work rates of gas flaring in the world. In 2003, Nigeria flared about 76% of its natural gas. Gas flaring is thus occur during petroleum refining and chemical processing for safe disposal of waste gases during  process upsets, plant  start-up or shut down and as well as process emergencies. Flaring is a high- temperature oxidation process used to burn combustible components mostly hydrocarbons, of waste gases from industrial operation Gas flaring is the combustion of associated gas produced with crude oil or form gas fields.

The option to release gas to the atmosphere by flaring and venting is an essential practice in oil and gas production, primary for safety reasons. Flaring is the controlled burning of natural gas produced in association with oil in the course of routine oil and gas production operations. Venting is the controlled release of gas into the atmosphere in the course of oil and gas production operation. Solving the problem of this “nuisance” called venting while ensuring safe operation and to minimize undesirable venting, led to the introduction of flaring. Gas flaring is choice disposal option for handling waste hydrocarbon gases because of their ability to burn efficiently.

       However, one of the problems associated with crude oil exploration and exploration in Akwa Ibom state of Nigeria is linked to gas flaring where as at 2005, crude oil is brought to the surface from several kilometers below, the gas associated with such oil extraction usually comes to the surface as well. If the oil is produced in those  areas  of the world  that lacks gas infrastructure  or a nearby gas market, a significant portion  of the related gas may be released into  the atmosphere either uninvited (vent) or ignited (flared).

Gas flaring contributes to climate change which has serious implications for both Nigeria and the rest of the world. Nigeria is one of the highest emitter of green house gases in African and among the highest carbon (IV) oxides emitters in the world. The burning  of fossil fuel, mainly coal, oil  and gas led to the warming  up the environment through the emissions of carbon  dioxide  (co2) as the main green house gas, particulate  matter, hydrocarbons and ash, photochemical oxidants and hydrogen supplied (H2S). The flares also contributes to acid rain, which apart from corroding corrugated aluminum roofs, acidify the soil, thereby causing soil fertility  loss and damaging crops