STATEMENT OF PURPOSE TO STUDY ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES

Development of petroleum resources has contributed greatly to the global energy

demand and economic development over the past decades. This has however, not

been without its consequences as seen in the negative impacts on the natural

environment as well as adverse human health effects in most oil–producing host

communities around the world. Over the past fifty–five years, the oil–producing

host communities in the Nigeria’s Niger Delta region has experienced a wide range

of environmental pollution, degradation, human health risks and socio–economic

problems as a result of activities associated with petroleum exploration,

development and production.

Petroleum contamination of the environment has become a global concern

because of the toxicity of the hydrocarbons and refractory character of the

aromatic components in the absence of oxygen. Some of the major environmental

consequences associated with petroleum exploration and production operations in

Nigeria at large and the Niger Delta region in particular includes:

(i) Atmospheric pollution associated with natural gas flaring and venting

which may contribute to global climate change,

(ii) Pollution of marine ecosystem which often result in adverse impacts on

wildlife and negative impact on tourism, fishing and other related

businesses, and

(iii) Controlled water (surface and ground water) sources and soil pollution

Records show that Nigeria has had over 4,000 oil-spill incidents ranging from minor

oil spills of a few hundreds of barrels to over half a million barrels in a single

incident.

Presently, Nigeria is ranked second (after Russia) in terms of countries with the

highest volume of gas flares and the resultant degradation of the environment has

led to a crisis amongst the people living in the host communities, and tension

between them and the multinational companies operating in those regions

amongst other issues resulting in kidnapping of oil workers and the formation of

several militia groups, all in an effort by the indigenous populations to “enforce”

their environmental rights.

In view of the numerous crises and the rapidly degenerating state of the

environment, there is a need for the protection and preservation of the

environment through effective environmental impact assessment and strict

adherence to regulation. The former is what I promise to offer if giving the

opportunity to be trained in Environmental Science/Management or its related

program.

My study will focus on Environmental Impact Assessment, which is the starting

point to solving the various environmental challenges caused by oil and gas

exploration in Nigeria. It will further stretch into research on how to mitigate the

incessant oil spills prevalent in the Niger Delta Region.

I am a target oriented person focused on getting things done within a time frame

and I believe that the knowledge I will get from this study will not only benefit the

Niger Delta region of the country but also the whole country at large.