The Challenge of Oil Spill Monitoring and Control in Nigeria

Abstract

Oil has been a fundamental enabler of development. Be this as it may, the emergence of the green environment movement, catalyzed by the challenge of climate change, has called into question the significance of crude oil as a source of energy. This has necessitated the need to manage the environmental impact of oil. One area needing attention is oil spill monitoring and control. Several technological systems have been developed in order to monitor and subsequently control oil spills. These include acoustic emission sensoring, infrared sensoring, fibre optic sensoring, satellite remote sensoring and remotely-piloted aircrafts. Nigeria, where oil spill is a major challenge, requires an effective management of oil spills. In realization of this, regulatory agencies such as National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency and detailed guidelines for effective oil spill monitoring and control have emerged. Be this as it may, weak regulation by government agencies has been exploited by oil companies and communities; resulting in frequent oil spills, large quantities of spilled oil, extensiveness of polluted areas and persistence of the impact of spilled oil. Oil spills occur frequently. For instance, there were 5,848 incidents resulting in the spillage of about 169,691 barrels of oil between 2010 and 2018. Spills occur in all parts of the oil producing region, the Niger Delta; resulting in its being commonly described as the most polluted area of the planet. The impact of spills is usually enduring because many spill sites are either not cleaned or cleaned ineffectively. Effective regulation and a more environment-friendly oil spill monitoring and control through technological applications are necessary.