Abstract
This study is concerned with creating an environmental resource database for Etche Local Government Area in the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria. The study reveals the techniques that could be employed in oil spill management. The study was aimed at identifying the different activities and socio-economic component (infrastructures) that can cause oil spill in the study area and attempt at inventorying landuse/landcover that are likely to be affected by any oil spill in the area and build a viable database for oil spill management in the area. Data were collected and imported into GIS environment for analysis using ArcInfo 3.5.1 and ArcView 3.5. Results indicate that about 47.21%, almost half of the study area is cultivated. However, three (3) different buffer zones were created. The waterbodies in the area were identified as the major oil spill distributor. Out of total area of 391.2 km2 covered by the buffer region, cultivated land occupies the highest areal extent of 35.59%, while rubber plantation has the least arealextent of about 0.64%. This confirms that cultivated land is more affected than any other landuse/landcover class in case of any spill in the area. Moreover, the study ranks waterbody as the most highly sensitive landuse/landcover category with ESI-I, with heavy mangrove forest followed by ESI-2 and ESI-3, respectively. The study has therefore demonstrated the effectiveness of GIS in the creation of a spatial database for monitoring and modeling oil spill in the area. The study also recommends that consistent ESI maps of the area should be prepared, and that such information should be made available when the need arises.KEYWORDS: Geographic Information Systems, oil spill monitoring, oil spill management, environmental sensitivity index, contingency planning
Highlights
Nigeria is one the most prolific oil producing countries in the world and the commodity serves as the main source of foreign exchange to the country
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), Environmental Evaluation Report (EER), Environmental Index (ESI) mapping and the Oil Spill Contingency Plan (OSCP) are some of the techniques used in studying the extent of pollution in Nigeria
This study has shown the need for proper spill contingency planning in the society
Summary
Nigeria is one the most prolific oil producing countries in the world and the commodity serves as the main source of foreign exchange to the country. It has continued to be a major source of livelihood to a large percentage of the country’s work force. The activities in the oil and gas industry include exploration, refining, distribution, marketing and shipping of the products. There is no gainsaying the fact that oil production and distribution activities are largely responsible for environmental degradation in the oil producing areas of Nigeria. According to Aina (1996) all the activities of the petroleum industry, be it exploration, exploitation, production, terminal operation, and marketing have the potential of polluting the immediate environment. Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), Environmental Evaluation Report (EER), Environmental Index (ESI) mapping and the Oil Spill Contingency Plan (OSCP) are some of the techniques used in studying the extent of pollution in Nigeria
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