ABSTRACT

Effect of crude oil exploration activities on the environment was studied at Ogboloma in Gbarain, Yenagoa Local Government Area, Bayelsa State, Nigeria. A location that has three drilled oil wells within Etelebu – Flow Station was selected for the study. From a distance of one hundred meters (100.0 m) away from one of the drilled wells, the co-ordinates were determined, and the points marked properly as a starting point. Other nine points were marked at every fifteen meters (15.0 m) interval. At every point, soil samples were collected from depths of 0 – 15 cm and 15 – 30 cm for analysis. Water samples were collected from the surface of the water from a swamp (50.0 m) away from the drilled wells for comparative test analysis. Water samples were collected from another swamp outside the study area as control. Air samples were collected at two (2) locations at different seasons within the gas flared communities. Landsat Thermal Mapper and Enhanced Thermal Mapper Plus, Imageries of 1987, 1992 and 2002 were used.  Four (4) quadrats of 25 m x 25 m were laid within the studied area. One (1) quadrat out of the four (4) was laid three kilometers (3.0 km) radius outside the flared area but within the studied area as control. Plants up to 10.0 cm in height within the quadrats were identified and enumerated. Plants that could not be identified in the field were collected and identified at the herbarium unit of the Department of Forestry and Environmental Management, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike. Few Plant roots and leaves were also collected and analyzed. Vertebrate animals and fishes in the study area were documented through the use of questionnaire and visits to nearby rivers. It was observed that some gaseous constituents such as Nitrogen (II)oxide (NO), Sulphur (II)oxide (SO),Carbon(II)oxide (CO) and available phosphorus(P) were above trace levels. The results revealed that drilling of oil discharged wastes onto the soil, land and caused soil fertility loss, impacted on plants, and animals and water quality because of the toxic wastes that were released within the environment during drilling operations. From the laboratory analysis, it was observed that crude oil drilling and production operations degraded soil, polluted water and destroyed biodiversity/ecosystem, specifically the total organic compound (TOC %) which had an average values of 2.52% and 2.23% within depths of 0 – 15 cm and 15 – 30 cm, respectively in the drilled area. Nitrogen had the average values of 3.0% and 3.7%, Phosphorus 13,98 mg/kg and 13.72mg/kg and Tom 3,89mg/kg and 5.89 mg/kg within depths of 0 – 15 cm and 15 – 30 cm respectively. Results and observations showed that persistent gas flaring and associated flare constituents damaged the ecosystem within the flare site and led to massive environmental pollution at Ogboloma (Gbarain) studied area. Gas constituents Carbon(IV)oxide, Sulphur(IV)oxide, Nitrogen(IV)oxide), and other essential elements such as Lead(Pb), Iron(Fe), and Copper(Cu) recorded were either above or below recommended standards. Corresponding to the high temperature values in the area ranging between 28 °C and 30 °C. Against these backdrops, the following recommendations were made. The Nigerian government through the various environment protection agencies in the states should invoke an efficient and effective environment protection and conservation policy guidelines to be adopted which the multinational companies should adhere to. A stronger collaborative effort should be put in place by both the Nigerian government and the oil companies to carry out in-depth study of gas production and potential at each flow station to assist in planning infrastructure need and enforce implementation of laws that will minimize and finally eradicate gas flaring activities in Nigeria, specifically in the Niger Delta region.