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Geoenvironmental analysis of oil extraction activities in urban and rural zones of Santa Elena Province, Ecuador

Authors :
Paulo Escandón-Panchana
Gricelda Herrera-Franco
Karla Erazo
Edgar Berrezueta
Carlos Mora-Frank
Source :
International Journal of Energy Production and Management. 6:211-228
Publication Year :
2021
Publisher :
International Information and Engineering Technology Association, 2021.

Abstract

From an environmental viewpoint, oil wells can be considered a potential source of pollution when improperly managed. The Santa Elena province (Ecuador), located on the Pacific coast, currently has a residual crude oil extraction compared to production generated in the Amazon region of the country. However, this activity in the coastal zone is very near to urban and rural populations. Therefore, a detailed influence analysis of these wells on the environment is necessary. This work aims to analyse, from a geoenvironmental perspective, the oil wells impact located in a pilot zone (urban and rural) of the oil field studied and, complementarily, to describe their incidence on the community and territory. The methodological process includes (i) oil wells compilation and inventory within the study zone and selection of a pilot zone; (ii) contaminating factors identification generated by the wells infrastructure (mechanical and territorial) and their current state of activity (production or abandoned); (iii) environmental impacts analysis generated through the development of a cause-effect matrix and, finally, the evaluation of a method and results found through a focus group technique. The results reflect a negative impact on the land cover and vegetative-animal environment in the vicinity of the wells, caused by the continuous release of gases, metallic oxidation and bituminous exhumation. The overall impacts interpretation compiled indicates that comprehensive action is needed at the wells to control and minimise them. The implementation of new environmental strategies through zoning can help to achieve adequate land-use planning, thus combining the safe and sustainable use of the resource with the development of other community activities (urbanisation, tourism, industry, agriculture and fishing) and environmental protection. This work was carried out in collaboration with the ‘Peninsula Santa Elena Geopark Project’ with code no. 91870000.0000.381017, and ‘Factores Geoambientales de los pozos petroleros y su incidencia en el desarrollo territorial en los cantones Salinas y La Libertad de la provincia de Santa Elena’, with code no: 91870000.0000.385428, by UPSE University. Support for the project was also provided by the ‘Registry of geological and mining heritage and its impact on the defence and preservation of geodiversity in Ecuador’, academic research project by ESPOL University, CIPAT-01-2018.

Details

ISSN :
20563280 and 20563272
Volume :
6
Database :
OpenAIRE
Journal :
International Journal of Energy Production and Management
Accession number :
edsair.doi.dedup.....1855275c6ff3fcc328c062229af3c7b1