CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
The oil and gas industry is truly global, with operations conducted in every corner of the globe, from Alaska to Australia, from Peru to China, and in every habitat from Arctic to desert, from tropical rainforest to temperate woodland, from mangrove (as is the case in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria) to offshore. The global community will rely heavily on oil and gas supplies for the foreseeable future. World primary energy consumption in 1994 stood at nearly 8000 million tonnes of oil equivalents; oil and gas represented 63 per cent of world energy supply, with coal providing 27 per cent, nuclear energy 7 percent and hydro-electric 3 per cent (BP Statistical Review of World Energy, June 1995).
The exploitation of oil and gas reserves has not always been without some ecological side effects. The challenge is to meet world energy demands, whilst minimizing adverse impact on the environment by conforming to current good practice. Oil spills, damaged land, accidents and fires, and incidents of air and water pollution have all been recorded at various times and places. In recent times the social impact of operations, especially in remote communities, has also attracted attention. The oil and gas industry has worked for a long time to meet the challenge of providing environmental protection. Much has already been achieved but the industry recognizes that even more can be accomplished (Adati, 2012).