Analysis of Sustainable Development of Oil and Gas Industries

Question: Describe and Critically analysis of sustainable development of oil and gas industries? Answer: Introduction In last 30 years, consumption of oil and gas has been increase on such amount that this world is highly relying on these fuels, i.e. the world is highly dependent on petroleum (Kloff and Wicks, 2009). According to the International Energy Information Administration (2014), the global oil intake increased to 62,900 thousand barrels per day in ninth decade to 89,800 in second decades of this millennium. Similar to oil intake, gas is on focused as clean and substitute of energy; and, the cost of gas is rising on yearly basis. The rapid consumption of oil and gas affected the increasing construction and distorted these resources from every aspect i.e. offshore and onshore, land and seabed, even dessert in untouched. We should admire the latest technology mainly in offshore area development. This is not limited to Gulf or American countries but reached to African countries and Brazil where petroleum discovered at later stage. In order to get more energy they are extending their work much deeper and wider into the sea as well as on ground also. A FPSO rig now 4000 meter of depth for sucking oil and serving the needed countries. (AGI, 2014) As an environmentalist, I am trying to investigate impact of oil and gas exploration, production and distribution on water pollution. Effect on Water due to Oil and Gas exploration A study done in 2009 by WHO and a team under E. dorathy, regarding the environmental condition of different location in around West Africa showing that the pH level of water has significantly risen from 7.33 to 8.47 pH units which out of the range of WHO recommendation, turbidity value ranges 1.46 to 2.83 just touching the upper line, the presence of iron found from 0.44 to 1.18 mg/L. The concentration of high iron is due to chemical reaction of huge and metamorphosed rocks which mixed with iron that ultimately. Cadmium ion range is analysed and found out of range of WHO acceptable values. This cadmium is dangerous for any living organism in the sea including mankind who consuming it. Lead is also present these are ranged between 0.08 to 0.483 mg/L. This can cause damage of brain, kidney and RBC. In recent new came to know that well and bigger reservoir also contaminated due to oil exploration, nut industry still denying such kind of problem, this matter is still under investigation through API. Some US states recived thousands of complain about short term slowing of water flow and pollution from stray gas or other substances. As we know that fracking (The drilling process to pump-out oil and gas) has increased in recent years and this requires very huge quantity of water, chemicals and sand into the ground to break apart the rock and pump-out the oil and gas. some part of this water along with thousand gallons of normal water came out to the surface, and it contain high level of chemicals, salt and heavy metals low level radiation. Effect on Water due to Oil and Gas refineries As we know that discharge from oils and refineries are creating lot of contamination to water. Leaking the effluents contaminates water on surface as well as underground water, this is mainly due to leakage in tanks and pipeline. A recent problem also in news that lot of water pollution happening due to storm and flood coming around the refineries. The last but not least oil and grease present in the sample is around 6.0 to 44mg/L, This increased oil and grease activity slowly polluting sea water. Which have serious implication for marine organism? All the above data shows that sea water in West Africa are highly affected. This affects the socio economical and seawater resources. To specify the existing regulation we have to discuss the role of different organisation in safety and environment protection for oil and gas. The main organisation involved in API, EUROPARL, APPEA etc. came into action. Since oil and gas leakage caused by offshore rigs Base on water used data in API 2012, in 2014 alone used about 3600 million m3 of water in USA only. The water coming with crude oil is known as produce water. According to survey in 2014, we are getting about 42 billion m3 of produced water from all around the world, and in this 55.2% of produced water is reinjected into the ground. Similarly for rigs, about 91% of water is simply discharged into the sea. Water pollution due to Oil and Gas distribution. The oil and gas still polluting the water when distribution happens. Frequent leaks are reported in different countries, but leakage for whole world is still unknown. According to environmental protection agency there are about 500000 confirm leakage notes down from different underground storage tank in 2012, these underground storage tanks are generally kept for storing the oil and gas product. This leakage from underground storage tanks leakage mixed with water resources beneath the ground. The total volume of leakage is still not known. Impact on drinkable water Oil and gas generation and combustion gives a significant impact on climate change such as greenhouse gas emission. But more important is that it also poisoning the drinkable water with wide variety of contaminants that is dangerous to human health. Women are particularly at risk for adverse effect of health which is due to this contaminated water. we have three choice, one is take alternate source of water, second is purify the contaminated water and third one is drink this water, all are costly affair either monetary of health. This also affects neighbour countries up to the land and this could effect in next countries also, international regulatory bodies are necessary to implement the safety of petroleum industries activities. In such condition IMO not able to implement such powerful tool that are more, stringent than those standard issued by other statutory bodies. As of now SOLAS and MARPOL are the stricter tool related to oil and gas and of the safety of Oil and gas and their environment protection. But they are applicable to petroleum and marine branch platforms generally; there have exemption of abiding these tool to logistics, however there is more likely of water pollution and contributed environment dissolution. Use of Biomass Biomass is latest renewable energy resources which include all plant and animals; in plant biomass energy is produced through photosynthesis which is a chemical reaction in the presence of sunlight. thi can be done in several energy crops. Energy cros are plant which is grown only for use as fuel or converting into biofuels such as ethano, biodiesel and biogas. In this process so many variety of bio-waste can be used such as agricultural waste, municipal solid waste, organic waste and industrial waste. The resources use is biomass is also having much amount of energy as in oil and gas. i.e. the energy content of wood is as much as 15 mega joules /kg of wood This can be sued as basic function from industrial waste of food waste items. Almost all biomass is in solid state and it can be burned in the same way as oil and gas, and it can be sued for heating the building, cooking, even it can produce electricity by running the turbine. It can be used in furnace by mixing with coal or other oil and gas product. In villages of India they are using this material as a biomass from beginning of human society. We can use biomass as a liquid fuel, in this liquid fuels we basically produce ethanol and biodiesel. The main process used in production of ethanol is fermentation process, this isnothing but bacterial biological in which glucose is converted into alcohol by action of bacteria and yiest. similarly we can produce biodiesel, but this normally produced from vegetable oils, greases and animal fats. In the process of making a biodiesel generally we are using catalyst and alcohol. the main catalyst used for biodiesel is potassium hydroxide. Most of the biodiesel are from soyabean oil. SOm of the techniques like production from algae are still in experimental stage.Biodiesel is mixed with petroleum diesel in the ratio about 20%. This can be directly sued as diesel in transport without changing the engine. However his technologies are still under development and need lot of research on it to fully replace the use of oil and gas for this bio product. we have stated later that huge amount of monetary resources are necessary for research and development, and I think this is the best area where we can research for replacing the oil and gas industries. This is the only way where we can lead to save environmental impact and increasing the quality work of regulatory bodies This is an necessary process for confirm and effective step towards improving ecosystem in one regulation. Suggested regulatory Ideas The is an issue of burning flare in all over globe, if we are aiming to prevent the damage of environment we have to use the regulations practically. The current oil and gas industries should be in such a way that, any restricted operation can be controlled by regulatory bodies on behalf of oil and gas industries by using latest equipment and technologies.The recommended suggestion is that API should have concern for petroleum business. This is the outcome of dissertation. This is because of better performance of API, stricter norms and powerful control in deep sea area, by cooperating with other bodies like IMO and ISA, the can gain control more easily than any other could in the future. This is the outline for recommended procedure for better tomorrow Collaboration between the APA and the IMO If these companies wants to remain competitive edge, they have to operation in always newer technological environment which if safer and doing less damage to environment. these are few which is already above stated, but inspite of above things these oil and gas industries can do the following things: By using the latest technology not only in oil and gas but also in other renewable energy source i.e. solar system and other hydroelectric project. By substituting the oil industries equipment to achieve minimized flaring of gases by adopting new processes. Besides the applying the stricter norms, the regulation bodies require some finance management in order the do research and development in oil and gas industrys all aspect. By venturing into the new market of developing countries or under developed countries, so that they will also get benefitted and create long term business opportunities for business to business approach. References Khodier, A, 2011, Co-firing fossil fuels and biomass, Cranfield, University. Barrow, C, and Barrow, C, 2006, Environmental management for sustainable development. London: Routledge. Shepherd, W, and Shepherd, D, 2003, Energy studies, London [England]: Imperial College Press. Blewitt, J, 2008, Understanding sustainable development, London: Earthscan. Dresner, S, 2002, the principles of sustainability, London: Earthscan Publications. Abraham, M, 2006, The Gulf oil and gas sector, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates: Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and Research. Thornley, J, 2007, Mathematical models in agriculture, Wallingford: CABI. Mirsal, I, 2004, Soil pollution, Berlin: Springer. 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