Gas flaring has indeed been a major practically unsolved environmental problem in the world since the refining of crude oil began. This process involves flaring or burning the useful gas accompanying the sourced crude oil.
Experts have said that gas flaring also means COOKING THE CONTINENT. This act eventually produces harmful waste which leads to environmental pollution and degradation. According to Nigerian National Petroleum Commission NNPC, Nigeria flared about 12,602,480.25 million ft3 of natural gas between 1996 and 2010. This was then estimated to having a loss of about 12,067.95 × 10^12 Btu of energy which could have contributed significantly to the unstable Nigerian energy situation and also financially to the Nigerian economy. Also, according to the estimated reports from World Bank in the year 2015, about 140 billion cubic meters of natural gas is flared annually. This is done mostly by developing countries that do not possess facilities for gas processing or means of capturing and usefully utilizing the gas. The oil and gas industry is fully aware of the negative impact of this unfriendly environmental act and there is a severe need to curb it in order to save our environment and nature from further degradation.
Some Harmful Effects of Gas Flaring Includes;
Climate Change: This occurs as a result of high discharge of carbon emissions into the atmosphere. Thereby, depleting the ozone layer (a protective layer of the earth). The later effect of this can be skin cancer.
Death of crops: plants that are planted in areas where gas flaring occur do not live due to the heat generated in such an environment.
Loss of energy: From the above discussion, we can see that a lot of energy & money are being wasted due to gas flaring.
However some recommendations or possible remedial measures towards curbing gas flaring are listed below;
A. utilizing the gas for secondary oil recovery
B. liquefaction of the natural gas.
With the implementation of these practical solutions, a cleaner oil and gas production can be explored and sustained and over environment can be preserved.
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