gas flaring
A Pennsylvania study suggests links between fracking and asthma, lymphoma in children
Researchers in heavily drilled Pennsylvania are adding to a body of evidence suggesting links between the natural gas industry and certain health problems.
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How the gas flares in Nigeria are fuelling a health crisis
Tom Brown and Christina Last write about Nigeria’s oil-rich south, where companies are burning off so much excess gas it's enough to power the whole of sub-Saharan Africa.
In a nutshell
In Nigeria's oil-rich city of Port Harcourt, gas flares belch toxic pollutants into the air, enveloping the area in a suffocating and hazardous environment. Over 230,000 people reside within two kilometers of these flares, enduring exposure to the resulting black fumes and toxins. Gas flaring, a practice employed by companies to burn off natural gas during oil drilling, not only wastes a valuable resource but also contributes to environmental devastation and health crises. The prevalence of birth defects in Port Harcourt is alarmingly high, and air pollution levels exceed recommended safety limits, causing respiratory problems and long-term health issues.
Key quote
“Flaring activity should be put behind us, but up to this date, nobody has been able to do that,” says King Johnson Ologho Erieyowe, a community leader who lives on the outskirts of a mangrove forest in the Delta. “It is a long battle.”
Big picture
Gas flaring poses a significant threat to public health. In addition to causing respiratory and other health issues locally, the flares release massive amounts of methane and CO2 into the atmosphere, contributing to climate change and exacerbating the global warming crisis. The resulting environmental havoc affects not only local communities but also has far-reaching consequences for people worldwide.
Read more at The Telegraph.
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Newsletter
Fossil fuel executives see a ‘golden age’ for gas, if they can brand it as ‘clean’
At an industry conference, top executives lamented they had “lost the narrative” on natural gas, and outlined an effort to sell their product as the “cleanest energy in the world.”
Newsletter
As enforcement falls short, many worry that companies are flouting New Mexico’s landmark gas flaring rules
Last year, New Mexico adopted regulations that were viewed as a model for reducing methane emissions from the flaring and venting of natural gas. But on the ground, watchdogs say they don’t see much of a change in oil and gas companies’ practices.
Koichi Hayakawa/Flickr
Growing body of research suggests offshore oil's methane pollution is underestimated
New technologies are allowing for actual measurements of oil and gas methane pollution like never before, whether from leaks or intentional flaring and venting.
jbdodane/Flickr
Living in darkness: Poverty and pollution in oil-rich Congo
Behind their homes is an oil pipeline and above them are high-voltage cables suspended between pylons. A little further off is a flare tower, burning off excess gas 24 hours a day.
Schristia/Flickr
What is the environmental cost of gas flaring?
Russia is believed to have flared large amounts of gas near the Finnish border since July, releasing approximately 9,000 tonnes of CO2 per day. DW looks at the potential climate impact.
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