Managing Gas Flaring and Allied Issues in the Oil and Gas Industry: Reflections on Nigeria

Abstract

The level of gas flaring attributable to the international oil and gas industry is without a doubt very significant. This realization, has led to a global reaction to reduce gas flaring volumes in the light of the adverse environmental, economic and social consequences connected with the high incidence of gas flaring. Hence, the approach being adopted to achieve a manageable level of gas flaring is as diverse as the respective countries that contend with this peculiar problem. The direction thus far, has been to address the gas flaring dilemma on a national, regional and international platform. Gas flaring cannot be construed in isolation, and as a consequence its consideration, has also brought to the fore matters related to environmental protection. Moreover, gas flaring has been identified as a process that damages the ozone layer, and thus contributing to escalating the global warming phenomenon. Amongst others, this notable finding has further stimulated domestic and international initiativesaimed at curbing the adverse effects of gas flaring. In Nigeria's case, there is an apparent incentive to mitigate the incidence of gas flaring in view of; the country's heavy reliance on oil and gas revenues, as well as the identifiable policy adjustments that need to be achieved on a sustained basis.

RETRACTED: Analysis of the Legal Framework Governing Gas Flaring in Nigeria’s Upstream Petroleum Sector and the Need for Overhauling

“…Nigeria is endowed with enormous gas reserves of about 159 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, and it is ranked one of the top ten countries provided with natural gas in the world (Orlando 2006). An approximately 2.5 billion cubic feet of gas is declared as being flamed by the numerous oil facilities in Nigeria (Oyewunmi and Oyewunmi 2016). Gas flaring is the disposition of natural gas or associated gas that comes with crude oil during oil exploitation and exploration activities in the upstream petroleum sector.…”

Retracted: Comparative appraisals of legal and institutional framework governing gas flaring in Nigeria's upstream petroleum sector: How satisfactory?

“…Oil companies are to update their drilling tools in conformity with international standards to end gas flaring through utilization of modern technologies; this is to guarantee environmental protection and natural resources management. Regulatory policies should be transparent with incentives for gas development (Oyewunmi and Olujobi, 2016).…”

Nigeria’s upstream petroleum industry anti-corruption legal framework: the necessity for overhauling and enrichment

“…Furthermore, in underpinning the non-existence of transparency in the industry, Oyewunmi and Olujobi in the article “Transparency in Nigeria’s Oil and Gas Industry: Is Policy Re-Engineering the Way Out?,” (Oyewunmi and Olujobi, 2016a, 2016b) argued that clandestineness in the modus operandi of grants of oil contracts, permits, leases and other businesses by the NNPC is due to the dearth of severe stipulations in the NNPC Act [12] concerning transparency and record-keeping on oil transactions. It is the researcher’s perspective that publication to the public of the financial statements and business contracts made by the NNPC and National Petroleum Investment Management Services will not repudiate commercial agreements’ confidentiality clauses in the industry.…”