Regulation and impact of VOC and CO2 emissions on low‐carbon energy systems resilient to climate change: A case study on an environmental issue in the oil and gas industry

Abstract

AbstractThe impact of emissions from the fuel and energy sectors adversely affects the environment on the economies of countries. One of these pollutants is volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which contribute to the formation of tropospheric ozone. Emissions of hydrocarbon formation in the form of VOCs occur in four stages of the fuel and energy industry sector: (1) production, (2) processing, (3) transportation, and (4) storage. The oil and gas industry ranks among the top polluting industries in terms of VOC emissions. Research on the negative impact of VOCs, as well as CO2 emissions from the consequences of the extraction, processing, transport, and storage of oil and gas on the ecosystem of the planet and the population, has begun to be studied by science recently. Typically, these studies were conducted using laboratory and field analyses, as well as using data on anthropogenic emissions in the development of regulatory documents and requirements governing the control of VOC and CO2 emissions in the oil and gas industry. This paper presents a critical analysis of the literature on research on the negative effects of VOC emissions on the ecosystem and human health because of such factors as production, processing, transportation, and storage of hydrocarbons. This analysis shows the global magnitude of VOC emissions. Data from human‐made emissions from the oil and gas industry and direct emissions from transportation and energy processing were used to figure out how VOCs affect the environment around the world and how far they spread. In conclusion, this study found patterns of VOC emissions that show how important it is to control VOCs during the production, processing, transportation, and storage of oil and gas, as well as how important it is to create a single research base on emissions for each industry sector and on sources of greenhouse gas absorption.