Environmental pollution arising from oil prospecting and exploration in the Niger Delta area of Nigeria has impacted negatively on the biodiversity of the affected areas. The main stresses arise from leakages of crude oil, gas flaring and the escape of other chemicals used in production processes.

What are the environmental impacts of oil extraction?

Drilling disrupts wildlife habitat Oil and gas extraction is a menace to wildlife. Loud noises, human movement and vehicle traffic from drilling operations can disrupt animals’ communication, breeding and nesting. Powerlines, wellpads, fences, and roads can also fragment habitats for many species.

What are the major environmental impacts of exploration for and development of oil and gas?

Exploring and drilling for oil may disturb land and marine ecosystems. Seismic techniques used to explore for oil under the ocean floor may harm fish and marine mammals. Drilling an oil well on land often requires clearing an area of vegetation.

What are the main environmental issues that affect the oil and gas industry?

Other environmental impacts include intensification of the greenhouse effect, acid rain, poorer water quality, groundwater contamination, among others. The oil and gas industry may also contribute to biodiversity loss as well as to the destruction of ecosystems that, in some cases, may be unique.

What are the benefits of crude oil in Nigeria?

Oil production brings about a billion investments in the country’s economy as well as the development of related sectors of the economy and infrastructure. Besides, it supplies new jobs for Nigerian citizens and improvement of social and living standards in general.

How does oil drilling affect the economy?

Increasing domestic production of petroleum will affect the economy two ways: First, it will reduce the amount we spend on imported oil. Second, it will lower the price of petroleum. The two effects work together to reduce energy expenditures, reduce the trade deficit, and expand economic activity.

How does oil drilling affect wildlife?

Oil destroys the insulating ability of fur-bearing mammals, such as sea otters, and the water repellency of a bird’s feathers, thus exposing these creatures to the harsh elements. Many birds and animals also ingest oil when they try to clean themselves, which can poison them.

What are the negative effects of quarrying?

Disadvantages

• Wildlife habitats are destroyed.
• Valuable agricultural land is taken away.
• Quarrying creates pollution from noise and dust.
• Heavy traffic causes pollution and congestion on narrow country roads.
• Quarries create visual pollution and tourists may be deterred by the scars on the landscape.

How does oil and gas affect climate change?

The Problem With Oil: Global Warming Burning oil releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, contributing to the warming of our planet. In order to avoid the worst impacts of climate change, scientists say the world cannot afford to burn more than one-third of known oil reserves.

How is the petroleum industry regulated in Nigeria?

Over the years, several environmental laws have been institutionalized to regulate the petroleum sector in Nigeria.

What kind of environmental law does Nigeria have?

The Nigerian government and other African countries have played tremendous roles in the emergence of international environmental law that regulate the establishment of environmental institutions and legislations as well as strategies for conservation and management of natural resources.

Why are there so many oil spills in Nigeria?

Although oil spills in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria may be regional in scale, soils and sediments have become the ultimate sink for most petroleum contaminants around the world due anthropogenic activities as well as few contributions associated with natural sources.

How does the Niger Delta affect the environment?

Apart from the loss of petroleum-derived revenue to corruption and ineffective government’s petroleum development policies, the Niger Delta region has experienced a wide range of environmental pollution, degradation, human health risks and socio-economic problems associated with petroleum exploration, development and production.