Environmental Sensitivity Index Mapping: A Case Study of PPMC Pipeline along Ugbomro Community and Environ, Delta State, Nigeria

Christopher Onosemuode,Okhae S.E,Gbemisola Okeowo

doi:10.23953/cloud.ijarsg.395

Abstract

Environmental Sensitivity Index (ESI) mapping provide a concise summary of coastal/inland resources that are at risk if an oil spill occurs nearby. Environmental sensitivity index (ESI) maps can be used for oil spill contingency planning, environment management planning and emergency response. To this end, the study attempts to establish the inland habitats and their sensitivity to oil spill along the 4.95km of the pipeline passing through Ugbomro community and as it relates to its environs. Ikonos image of the area obtained from Google Earth, were digitized manually and the land use/land cover map of the areas were derived using ArcGIS 10.1. The ESI classification and ranking was done for the inland habitat by considering the importance of indigenous flora/fauna species to rural livelihood, oil ecosystem interaction, and ease of clean up. The result suggests that built up area, water body and wetland having ESI ranking to be Very High and ESI classification of 5A, 5B and 5C respectively. Farmland ESI ranks High with ESI classification of 4, Semi natural vegetation has ESI ranking of Medium with ESI classification of 2 and bare surfaces had ESI ranking to be Low and ESI classified as 1. An emergency response zone and priority booming were proposed along the pipeline route as a means of curtailing the spread of oils to sensitive resources.

Highlights

IntroductionOil spills will continue to cause damaging effect on the environment because it is difficult to separate from oil exploration and exploitation (Aroh et al, 2010)
Crude oil remained one of the most sort after commodity which man cannot do without
The habitat that would be of most concern within the 75m buffer is the built up area of the presence of socio-economic and cultural activities that have direct relationship with the people and the impact increases for buffer zones of 250m and 500m, while this is closely followed by farmland that has direct impact on the people of the study area but with a decreasing impact as the buffer zone increases

Summary

Introduction

Oil spills will continue to cause damaging effect on the environment because it is difficult to separate from oil exploration and exploitation (Aroh et al, 2010). In the Niger Delta, huge oil exploration and production are associated with frequent and rampant crude oil spills. The regular occurrence of oil spills in Niger Delta are results of deliberate act of vandalism of flowline, pipeline leakages, failures of oil facilities and overflow of process components. These caused considerable degradation of the environment, fundamental changes to social and environmental policies. Spilled oil is able to impair living things since its chemical constituents are IJARSG– An Open Access Journal (ISSN 2320 – 0243)

Methods

Results

Conclusion