ESTIMATION OF PRIMARY AIR POLLUTANTS’ EMISSIONS FROM NIGER-DELTA FLOWSTATIONS BY LONG TERM CONTINUOUS MONITORING

Abstract

This study was carried out to evaluate the air quality of upstream petroleum operations in Nigerian oilfields. Sox, NOx, VOC and Cox concentrations were measured at six flow-stations within Niger-Delta region of Nigeria at 60, 200, and 500m respectively away from the point sources for eighteen months using Testo 350 Gas Analyzer. Statistical analyses of the obtained data were carried out using ANOVA and Scheffe Post Hoc tests to determine the significance level of each pollutant at each field and to determine any reduction level from the previous study.

Sox concentration was discovered to alarmingly high at all distances in all the fields while Cox posed no threat no threat, except for oilfield 3 where it was a little bit above the standard at 200m away from the flare. NOx emission at oilfield 4, 5 and 6 were a threat to the environment while its values at fields 1, 2 and 3 fluctuated. High concentration of VOC was also recorded for sites 1, 2 and 4 but significant at sites 3, 5 and 6. Development of Air Quality Index (AQI) and other control and abatement techniques were recommended.