Environmental Impact Assessment Research Articles

Environmental stewardship in the oil and gas sector: Current practices and future directions

This paper provides an overview of the current practices and future directions in environmental stewardship within the oil and gas industry, focusing on key areas of concern and strategies for improvement. The oil and gas industry has made significant strides in environmental stewardship in recent years, driven by a combination of regulatory requirements, corporate initiatives, and stakeholder pressure. One of the primary areas of focus has been the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions associated with extraction, refining, and transportation processes. Companies have implemented technologies such as carbon capture and storage to minimize their carbon footprint, alongside investments in renewable energy sources and energy efficiency measures to transition towards cleaner energy alternatives. Furthermore, the industry has placed increasing emphasis on the responsible management of water resources, recognizing the potential environmental impacts of water extraction and usage in oil and gas operations. Strategies for water recycling, reuse, and wastewater treatment have been adopted to mitigate pollution and minimize strain on local ecosystems. Biodiversity conservation has also emerged as a critical aspect of environmental stewardship in the oil and gas sector, with companies undertaking environmental impact assessments and collaborating with conservation organizations to minimize habitat disruption and restore ecosystems affected by their operations. Community engagement and social responsibility are integral components of environmental stewardship, with companies seeking to address the social impacts of their operations through employment opportunities, infrastructure development, and social programs benefiting local communities. However, the industry continues to face challenges and limitations in its efforts to minimize environmental impact. Accidental spills, leaks, and other incidents pose significant ecological risks, highlighting the importance of stringent safety regulations and emergency response protocols. Moreover, the transition to renewable energy presents challenges for traditional oil and gas companies, requiring substantial capital investment and strategic planning. To address these challenges and advance environmental stewardship, several future directions are proposed. These include accelerating the transition to renewable energy, enhancing transparency and accountability in reporting environmental performance, strengthening environmental regulations and enforcement, investing in research and development of innovative technologies, and fostering collaboration among industry stakeholders, governments, NGOs, and local communities. Keywords: Stewardship, Oil, Gas, Sustainability, Climate, Mitigation

Analysis of the sustainability index for ecologically low-input integrated farming: A comprehensive assessment of environmental, economic, and social impact

A comprehensive sustainability index was designed in this study to evaluate the effectiveness and environmental impact of ecologically low-input integrated farming systems. By integrating diverse agricultural practices while minimizing reliance on external, non-renewable resources, this approach aims to enhance ecological harmony and sustainability. The index provides a multi-dimensional assessment, encompassing environmental, economic, and social aspects, to gauge the overall sustainability of these integrated farming practices. The procedure involved defining critical sustainability criteria across environmental, economic, and social dimensions, collecting relevant data on farming practices, and constructing a model to assess and score these practices. The index was validated through real-world applications and engaged with various stakeholders for insights and practical verification. Environmental data involves measuring soil nutrients (5 %), water usage (500 gallons/acre), and biodiversity (30 species/acre) to assess the ecological impact of farming practices. Economic data focuses on recording crop yields, input costs, and market prices to evaluate the financial viability of these practices. Social data is collected through surveys on labor practices, job satisfaction, and community impact, providing insights into the social implications and acceptability of the farming methods. The data revealed that the farming system aligned well with sustainability benchmarks, exhibiting no deviation from optimal levels in soil nitrogen content and water usage. Strong profitability and input cost efficiency were observed in the economic dimension, with a net income per acre of $400/acre and an input cost efficiency of 50 %. In the social aspect, although reasonably scored, specific labor metrics and regional/industry standards were lacking for a comprehensive evaluation. Overall, the farming system demonstrated commendable sustainability practices, with an environmental score of 7.5/10, an economic score of 8/10, and a social score of 7/10, suggesting potential for further improvements, particularly in addressing social sustainability factors.

PUMPKIN AND PASTEL WINE, A FRUIT AND A LEGUME OF THE CUCURBITACEES FAMILY IN GREEN CIRCULAR ECONOMY WITH ZERO WASTE

This study explores the viability of watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) and pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo subsp. Pepo) as unconventional sources for sustainable winemaking, contributing to a zero-waste circular economy in viticulture. The research employs a multidimensional methodology encompassing chemical analyses, sensory evaluations, and environmental impact assessments to scrutinize the entire lifecycle of wine production. The findings reveal watermelon wine's superiority, boasting a 14° alcohol content, while pumpkin wine ranges at 11°. Both wines maintain physico-chemical and organoleptic attributes, with minimal alterations in micronutrient content. The compost generated from processing waste contains essential nutrients for plant growth. Comparative analysis underscores the advantageous nature of this compost, laying the foundation for sustainable winemaking practices in Madagascar and illuminating the untapped potential of tropical fruits in the global viticultural landscape. This study, pioneering the valorization of unconventional fruit and vegetable in Madagascar, strives to contribute to the discourse on environmentally conscious winemaking, fostering a paradigm shift toward ecologically harmonious practices in the agro-industrial sector.

Environmental impact assessment of hemp cultivation and its seed-based food products

Introduction: Hemp is a crop cultivated in Europe since ancient times, with a variety of purposes and products. Despite being known for its positive environmental effects on ecosystems, the impacts of hemp-based food products have not been sufficiently investigated yet. This paper contributed to deepen the knowledge of the hemp industry by focusing on the potential environmental impact of the cultivation phase (under three different agronomic practices in Italy: organic outdoor and conventional outdoor, and indoor) and the production of selected hemp-based goods (seed oil and flour for food purposes and flowers for therapeutic uses).Methods: The impact was quantified utilizing the life cycle assessment within different impact categories, such as carbon footprint (CF), eutrophication (EP), acidification (AP), and water footprint (WF). For a carbon offset assessment, the carbon storage capability (i.e., the carbon fixed in crop residues left in the field) of hemp was also investigated through the guidelines provided by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).Results and Discussion: The cultivation phase contributed to a CF that ranged from 1.2 (organic outdoor) to 374 (indoor) kg per kg of grains (conventional outdoor). These results were in line with the literature. Sensitivity scenarios based on hotspot analysis were also presented for CF mitigation for each kind of cultivation. On the other hand, the ability of hemp to sequester carbon in the soil due to crop residues left in the field (i.e., carbon storage) was evaluated (−2.7 kg CO2 (ha year)−1), showing that the CF was fully compensated (−0.27 kg CO2 (ha year)−1 for conventional outdoor and −1.07 kg CO2 (ha year)−1 for organic outdoor). Regarding hemp-based products, only dried flowers showed a negative balance (−0.99 kg CO2 per kg dry flower), while hemp oil and flour reported 31.79 kg CO2 per kg flour) when carbon storage was accounted. The results support the idea that the production chain can be sustainable and carbon-neutral only when all the different parts of the plant (flowers, seeds, fibers, leaves, and all residues) were used to manufacture durable goods according to the framework of the circular economy.

Optimizing offshore wind export cable routing using GIS-based environmental heat maps

Abstract. In the United States, there are plans to produce up to 30 GW of offshore wind power by the year 2030, resulting in numerous seabed lease areas which are currently going through the leasing or construction and operations phase. A key challenge associated with offshore wind is optimal routing and installation of the subsea power cables, which transmit power from the main offshore wind energy production area to a land-based station, where it connects to the electrical grid. By traversing a vast extent of the seafloor, the installation and operational phases of subsea power cables have the potential to result in a range of environmental impacts, which may negatively affect sensitive biological, physical, human and/or cultural resource receptors. Presented here is a case study from southeastern North Carolina to identify optimal seabed cable routes and coastal landfalls for a recently leased offshore wind farm by using a combination of publicly available data, coupled with standard environmental impact assessment methodologies and geographic information system (GIS)-based heat maps. The study identified a range of high-risk areas, in addition to a number of potential low-risk routes and landfall areas which minimize seabed user conflicts and impacts on environmentally sensitive locations. Although additional high-resolution and site-specific environmental, geological and biological surveys are required to develop a robust cable installation plan, the preliminary steps from this research optimize early-phase marine spatial planning for offshore wind projects and other similar subsea industries.

Post-Fracture Production Prediction with Production Segmentation and Well Logging: Harnessing Pipelines and Hyperparameter Tuning with GridSearchCV

As the petroleum industry increasingly exploits unconventional reservoirs with low permeability and porosity, accurate predictions of post-fracture production are becoming critical for investment decisions, energy policy development, and environmental impact assessments. However, despite extensive research, accurately forecasting post-fracture production using well-log data continues to be a complex challenge. This study introduces a new method of data volume expansion, which is to subdivide the gas production of each well on the first day according to the depth of logging data, and to rely on the correlation model between petrophysical parameters and gas production to accurately combine the gas production data while matching the accuracy of the well-log data. Twelve pipelines were constructed utilizing a range of techniques to fit the regression relationship between logging parameters and post-fracture gas production These included data preprocessing methods (StandardScaler and RobustScaler), feature extraction approaches (PCA and PolynomialFeatures), and advanced machine learning models (XGBoost, Random Forest, and neural networks). Hyperparameter optimization was executed via GridSearchCV. To assess the efficacy of diverse models, metrics including the coefficient of determination (R2), standard deviation (SD), Pearson correlation coefficient (PCC), mean absolute error (MAE), mean squared error (MSE), and root-mean-square error (RMSE) were invoked. Among the several pipelines explored, the PFS-NN exhibited excellent predictive capability in specific reservoir contexts. In essence, integrating machine learning with logging parameters can be used to effectively assess reservoir productivity at multi-meter formation scales. This strategy not only mitigates uncertainties endemic to reservoir exploration but also equips petroleum engineers with the ability to monitor reservoir dynamics, thereby facilitating reservoir development. Additionally, this approach provides reservoir engineers with an efficient means of reservoir performance oversight.

Sound power level and spectrum of port sources for environmental noise mapping

Ports are noisy areas that are often located near populated centers, leading to disturbances for citizens. Neglecting these issues can result in health problems and committees that can impede the natural development of port economic activity, which is growing rapidly. Attention to the sector has increased in recent years, but mainly with studies devoted to the general impact on the population. There is currently insufficient information available regarding the inputs required to conduct noise mapping and assess its effects. This is due to the high quantity and diversity of sources present in the port area. Basing on measurements conducted following established and standardized procedures, the present work reports a database of sound power levels, third-octave band spectra, average duration, and source height for various types of equipment, including reach stackers, dock tractors, front lifts, forklifts, transtainers on wheels, container cranes, mobile cranes, and dry load handling scrapers, during their movements and cargo handling activities. Acousticians are expected to benefit from this detailed input data for noise mapping and environmental acoustic impact assessments.

Environmental Impact Assessment of a Dumping Site: A Case Study of Kakia Dumping Site

Open dumping threatens the environment and public health by causing soil, water, and air pollution and precipitating the deterioration of the environmental balance. Therefore, sustainable waste management practices and compliance with environmental regulations are important to minimize these negative impacts. In this context, it is very important to identify the environmental damage inflicted by open dumping areas and to take measures to prevent this damage. Makkah is among the cities that still use open dumping for solid waste disposal. The rapid increase in this city’s population is generating large quantities of municipal solid waste (MSW), making it difficult to manage waste economically without harming the environment or public health. During Umrah and Hajj, the rate of MSW generation increases to an even greater degree. The sustainable management of MSW in holy cities is of great importance. This study aimed to investigate the environmental impact of the Kakia Open Dumping Site in Makkah on air quality, soil, and nearby groundwater wells. It also conducted analyses of essential elements (Ca, Mg, and Na), heavy metals (Pb, Cd, and Cr), and a metalloid (As) in leachate produced at the Kakia Open Dumpsite, enabling the development of management strategies. In addition, the correlations between the essential elements, the metalloid, and the heavy metals were also analyzed. The goal is not only to mitigate the negative effects of open dumping, but also to highlight the need to adopt sustainable management strategies for MSW in religiously significant cities like Makkah.

Analysis of swimming trajectories in Daphnia similis as an environmental impact assessment tool

Analysis of swimming trajectories in <i>Daphnia similis</i> as an environmental impact assessment tool

Wainganga River Back Water Environmental Impact Assessment in Gose Dam

The construction of Gose Dam along the Wainganga River has given rise to a significant backwater area, prompting a comprehensive assessment of its environmental impacts. This multidisciplinary study examines ecological, hydrological, and socio-economic dimensions to unravel the complexities of the altered ecosystem. Ecological analyses reveal shifts in habitat structure, biodiversity, and water quality, while hydrological assessments scrutinize changes in flow patterns, sediment dynamics, and flood regimes. Socio- economic investigations explore the ramifications on local communities, including shifts in livelihoods and land use practices. Through field surveys, remote sensing techniques, and stakeholder consultations, this assessment aims to inform evidence-based decision-making and facilitate the implementation of sustainable management practices. By elucidating both challenges and opportunities, this study contributes to the conservation of the Wainganga River ecosystem, ensuring its resilience and well-being for future generations.

Performance evaluation of hybrid fiber reinforced concrete on engineering properties and life cycle assessment: A sustainable approach

Conventional concrete in its existing form possesses characteristics like better compressive strength, density, resistance against moisture and enhanced performance under various exposure conditions like elevated temperature and long-term durability etc. However, some of the shortcomings such as reduced ductility, brittleness can be improved by using additives like fibers to improve its properties. The present study highlights the performance evaluation of engineering properties and life cycle assessment (LCA) of hybrid fiber reinforced concrete (HFRC) incorporating with glass and polypropylene fibers in equal proportions (0%, 0.5%, 1.0%, 1.5%, and 2.0%). In addition to these, impact resistance at first crack phase and post cracking phase i.e., at failure have also been investigated to ascertain the effect of HFRC vs conventional concrete mixes. Sorptivity studies also performed to find its effect on HFRC, and control concrete mixes prepared with and without glass and polypropylene fibers. Reduction in workability of concrete was observed with increase in hybrid fiber content. Superior performance in terms of strength and durability properties was observed at 1% hybrid fiber content. Similarly, this study also focuses on studying the impact of HFRC and conventional concrete on environment using LCA approach. For LCA, SimaPro software and EcoInvent database is used to compare environmental impact assessment of HFRC and conventional concrete mixes. Impact on environment and cost comparison on HFRC mixes exhibits satisfactory results when compared to conventional mix. Finally, this research will address the need for HFRC mixes to achieve their adaptability in construction sector to make concrete economic and environmentally friendly.

Change-making in Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA): piloting changeology approach using England as a case study

ABSTRACT Piecemeal changes to the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process have to date not fully delivered EIA’s normative goals and met today’s environmental challenges. By regarding the to date approaches to change-making as a problem requiring a solution, this paper applies critical analysis to reflect upon current change-making based on England’s EIA system as a case study. The analysis identifies a lack of innovative ideas and sound evidence-based approaches to inform and support the change-making process. Consequently, we argue for an epistemology of change-making (changeology) so that the entire approach can be based on an empirically informed framework, to inform the journey (process) and destination (fit-for-purpose EIA) and make the EIA process fit-for-purpose and aligned to future expectations. Changeology should be viewed as more than informing one-time change-making but as a framework of well-studied practice for changing (or improving) EIA in the long term.

Integrated survey methodologies provide process-driven framework for marine renewable energy environmental impact assessment

Environmental interactions of marine renewable energy developments vary from fine-scale direct (e.g. potential collision) to indirect wide-scale hydrodynamic changes altering oceanographic features. Current UK Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and associated Habitats Regulations Appraisal (HRA) guidelines have limited focus on underlying processes affecting distribution and movements (hence vulnerability) of top predators. This study integrates multi-trophic ship survey (active acoustics and observer data) with an upward-facing seabed platform and 3-dimensional hydrodynamic model as a process-driven framework to investigate predator-prey linkages between seabirds and fish schools. Observer-only data highlighted the need to measure physical drivers of variance in species abundances and distributions. Active acoustics indicated that in situ (preferable to modelled) data were needed to identify temporal changes in hydrodynamics to predict prey and consequently top predator presence. Revising methods to identify key habitats and environmental covariates within current regulatory frameworks will enable more robust and transferable EIA and HRA processes and outputs, and at larger scales for cumulative and strategic-level assessments, enabling future modelling of ecosystem impacts from both climate change and renewable energy extraction.

Seasonal dynamic of the benthic food web in subtidal sandbanks

Submarine sandbanks are prevalent worldwide but, paradoxically, these ecosystems and their dynamics remain largely unknown. As submarine sandbanks are targeted by a large variety of human activities, there is an urgent need for sound scientific knowledge for environmental impact assessments (EIAs) and the appropriate management of biodiversity in these areas. To our knowledge, the present study is the first to investigate the seasonal dynamics of the benthic food web in sandbank areas. We performed a stable isotope analysis in the French part of the southern North Sea. This area is typified by numerous sandbanks and by massive phytoplankton blooms in spring. We found a very simple food web structure that is heavily dependent on organic matter particles in seawater. Primary consumers, i.e. deposit feeders and, to a lesser extent, suspension feeders, dominate the benthic biomass. Small predator-scavengers such as annelids, shrimps and crabs prey upon them. Fish predators such as Echiichthys vipera represent a very restricted proportion of the biomass. We observed that the general structure of the food web is relatively well preserved over seasons. We thus propose that the functioning of the ecosystem is resilient to natural disruptions—such as dune migrations—and, probably, to anthropogenic disturbances.

Does Matrilineality Reduce Gender Inequality in Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) Public Participation? Some Evidence from Malawi.

This paper reports on Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) public participation in Malawi with a focus on the role of women from matrilineal and patrilineal marriage systems. Six rural ESIA projects are explored of which three are in areas of patrilineal and three are in areas of matrilineal systems. Participation space was found to be consistently dominated by men, with no obvious differences between both systems. The key reasons are likely to be lower educational and social status of women in rural areas throughout the country. This is associated with a number of challenges, including chronic poverty and food insecurity. Affirmative action is needed to achieve a better representation of women in ESIA processes.

Assessing the potential of nematode metabarcoding for benthic monitoring of offshore oil platforms

Environmental DNA metabarcoding is gaining momentum as a time and cost-effective tool for biomonitoring and environmental impact assessment. Yet, its use as a replacement for the conventional marine benthic monitoring based on morphological analysis of macrofauna is still challenging. Here we propose to study the meiofauna, which is much better represented in sediment DNA samples. We focus on nematodes, which are the most numerous and diverse group of meiofauna. Our aim is to assess the potential of nematode metabarcoding to monitor impacts associated with offshore oil platform activities. To achieve this goal, we used nematode-optimized marker (18S V1V2-Nema) and universal eukaryotic marker (18S V9) region to analyse 252 sediment DNA samples collected near three offshore oil platforms in the North Sea. For both markers, we analysed changes in alpha and beta diversity in relation to distance from the platforms and environmental variables. We also defined three impact classes based on selected environmental variables that are associated with oil extraction activities and used random forest classifiers to compare the predictive performance of both datasets. Our results show that alpha- and beta-diversity of nematodes varies with the increasing distance from the platforms. The variables directly related to platform activity, such as Ba and THC, strongly influence the nematode community. The nematode metabarcoding data provide more robust predictive models than eukaryotic data. Furthermore, the nematode community appears more stable in time and space, as illustrated by the overlap of nematode datasets obtained from the same platform three years apart. A significative negative correlation between distance and Shannon diversity also advocates for higher performance of the V1V2-Nema over the V9. Overall, these results suggest that the sensitivity of nematodes is higher compared to the eukaryotic community. Hence, nematode metabarcoding has the potential to become an effective tool for benthic monitoring in marine environment.

Comparative Assessment of Environmental Impacts and Water Scarcity Footprint of Horticultural Crops in Iran

Examining the pollution rates generated by horticultural crops and discerning their impact on water consumption are pivotal considerations for fostering sustainable production of these valuable crops. This study focuses on investigating the environmental consequences and water footprint associated with cultivating diverse horticultural crops in northern Iran. The research employs the life cycle assessment method to gauge environmental impacts by using IMPACT 2002+ and the Water Scarcity Indicator (WSI) to assess water footprints. Notably, the results indicate that walnuts exhibit the highest environmental index, surpassing other crops by sevenfold, and the greatest WSI at 2652.78 m3/ton. Nitrogen fertilizer and on-farm emissions emerged as the primary contributors to pollution among consumed inputs. The assessment underscores human health as a critical concern in the environmental impact of horticultural crop production, likely attributed to elevated chemical input consumption and associated emissions. The findings emphasize the substantial challenges faced by orchard management in Mazandaran province, the primary horticultural crop producer in Iran, grappling with chemical usage and water scarcity.

Urbanization impact assessment on environment and transportation perspectives: Remote sensing-based approach application

Environmental impact assessment of urbanization and road network analysis are more essential for city’s health measurement. Road contraction due to high urbanization is more impactful for the ecology and traffic congestion-related phenomena. Remote sensing (RS) is a highly applied approach for analyzing the environmental and road cities network-related activities. Landsat 5 TM and 8 OLI/TIRS databased and recent time road network information were used and aimed for assessment of different cities (i.e., Baghdad “Iraq” and Los Vegas “United States”). The Land use and land cover (LULC) and road network are related to each other’s due to the high urbanization and population pressure. Based on modeling results, built-up zones of the selected cities were increased by 249.84 km2 (Baghdad) and 728.47 km2 (Los Vegas) while barren land fluctuated 396.85 km2 (Baghdad) and -712.58 km2 (Los Vegas). Based on the studied period, land surface temperature (LST) increased by 8.68 °C (Baghdad) and 10.06 °C (Los Vegas), which indicates the urbanization effects. Road density observed to be high in the central part of the Baghdad city, while Los Vegas have road density in the entire region. Both cities showed low content of water bodies and vegetation due to urbanization and population pressure. In general, both cities need proper adaptation strategies, urban planning, novel approaches, and management that can help for reduction of the environmental impact. In addition, cities road network-related issues could be substantially increased due to unplanned traffic congestion, accident, environmental degradations in which is triggering the urban vulnerability in near future.

Time series (2003–15) analysis of selected physicochemical parameters in Indian Ocean: Cumulative impacts prediction on coral bleaching using machine learning

Coral bleaching is an important ecological threat worldwide, as the coral ecosystem supports a rich marine biodiversity to survive. Sea surface temperature was considered a major culprit; however, later it was observed that other water parameters like pH, tCO2, fCO2, salinity, dissolved oxygen, etc. also play a significant role in bleaching. In the present study, all these parameters of the Indian Ocean area for 15 years (2003–2017) were collected and analysed using machine learning language. The main aim is to see the cumulative impacts of various ocean parameters on coral bleaching. Introducing machine learning in environmental impact assessment studies is a new approach, and the prediction of coral bleaching using simulation of physico-chemical parameters interactions shows 70 % accuracy for the prediction of the future bleaching event. This study can be probably the first step in the application of the machine learning language for the prediction of coral bleaching in the field of marine science.

Insights from First Nations, Government and Industry Leaders on Criteria for Successful Impact Benefit Agreements.

Over the past decade, British Columbia, Canada's westernmost province, has begun developing liquified natural gas (LNG) mega projects that can transport Canadian resources to foreign markets across the Pacific region. These projects have gained significant profile due to high-level debates over their environmental, social and economic impacts. While LNG projects are required to undergo environmental impact assessment procedures, there is growing recognition of the need to ensure that positive social, economic and environmental impacts are fairly distributed to local communities. Similar to other extractive industries, many corporations leading the development of these projects engage in negotiations over so-called "impact benefit agreements (IBAs)"-legal agreements between a corporation, a government and/or a community that details how projects can benefit the local community and on what timeline so as to build social license to operate and investor confidence. This contribution details the findings of a qualitative study highlighting the perspectives of First Nations, provincial and federal government, and industry leaders to examine what makes an IBA successful and from whose perspective. The paper provides an introduction to IBA structures and processes, a brief review of the legal context, a qualitative methodology co-developed between academic researchers and Indigenous community leaders, and describes key criteria to inform future successful IBA agreements that create equitable multi-party benefits in an era of Indigenous reconciliation.