Impacts of Oil and Gas Exploration in African Nations

The exploration and production of petroleum has caused major detrimental impacts to soils, surface and

ground waters, socio-economic communities, and the local ecosystems in African countries. These impacts

primarily arise from loose environmental laws, or the lack thereof, and the improper disposal of the by-products

of oil exploration and production. Data from ten studies show that the oil exploration and production taking

place specifically in Nigeria and Ghana, mainly impacts: 1Water Quality and African flora and fauna, and the

2Socioeconomic communities.

The data analysis of the study Environmental Risk Assessment of Petroleum Industry in Nigeria reveals

that the inadequate and loosely implemented environmental laws were critical in the environmental

deterioration brought by soil exploration and exploitation. The study Petroleum Exploration: Past and Present

Environmental Issues in the Nigerias Niger Delta revealed that some of the companies failed to adopt

sustainable practices of their implemented laws for the protection of the environment. In the research study

titled The oil industry and the Nigerian environment, it has also been found out that no proper information

dissemination about the environmental hazards associated with oil spills was observed and no impact

assessments were conducted before beginning oil exploration activities.

One facet of the environment greatly impacted by oil explorations are the bodies of water near sites of

oil exploration or hydrocarbon development. Multiple studies showed that there was a degradation of the water

quality and marine ecosystems in these bodies of water. The study Environmental impacts of oil and gas

activities in Ghana revealed that an increase of metal compounds and an imbalance in the pH and turbidity can

be detected in ten different aquatic environments near oil exploration sites. The case study Environmental

impact assessment of oil and gas sector showed results of water quality deterioration in areas near the

Magurchara gas field caused by spills and leaks of oil and grease. The same results can be observed in the studies:
1An evaluation of the effects of petroleum exploration in Nigeria and 2Oil-related environmental concerns in the

Gulf. The deterioration of the water quality leads to great risks on the health of the inhabiting African flora and

fauna.

Another facet of the African environment negatively impacted by oil explorations are the host

communities residents. The studies Environmental impacts of oil exploration and exploitation in Nigerias Niger

Delta; Petroleum exploration: Past and present environmental issues in Nigerias Niger Delta; and An evaluation

of the effects of petroleum exploration in Nigeria yielded results that the pollution from oil exploration caused

the adverse human health effects, socioeconomic problems, and the degradation of the different socioeconomic

communities. It was even discovered that many residents of the Niger Delta have lost their basic human rights

such as health and access to clean food and water due to the oil industry.

Overall, sustainable and stricter environmental laws are necessary to negate the harmful environmental

impacts of oil exploration, exploitation, and production. Such laws are critical in returning balance and

equilibrium to our environment.