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- Title
Impact of Gas Exploitation on the Environmental Radioactivity of Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Area, Nigeria.
- Authors
Ononugbo, Chinyere P.; Avwiri, Gregory O.; Chad-Umoren, Yehuwdah E.
- Abstract
A key component of the current national energy policy of Nigeria is to efficiently utilize her abundant natural gas reserves, especially in the energy sector. This paper reports a study of the terrestrial radioactivity in the industrial areas of Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area (ONELGA) of Rivers State. These industrial areas and their host communities were divided into six (6) zones, each having an oil and gas facility. An in-situ measurement was done using two well calibrated nuclear radiation meters (digilert-100 and digilert-50) and geographical positioning system (GPS). Ten readings were taken in each of the six zones and the host community at randomly selected sites, making a total of 60 sampling points. The mean site radiation level ranges from 0.014 ± 0.001mRh-1 (1.183 ± 0.060mSvy-1) to 0.018 ± 0.002mRh-1 (1.689± 0.085mSvy-1) while the mean community radiation level ranges from 0.014 ± 0.001mRh-1 (1.183± 0.06mSvy-1) to 0.017 ± 0.001mRh-1 (1.435 ± 0.072mSvyr-1). The equivalent dose has an average range of 1.056 mSvy-1 to 2.871 mSvy-1, which is far below the recommended dose limit for radiological workers (20mSvy-1) but averagely above that for the general public (1mSvyr-1). Comparison of the measured radiation level of site locations with the normal background level shows that 43 locations, representing 71.7% of the sampled area, exceed the normal background level of 0.013mRh-1. This study indicates that there is no immediate radiological health hazard for the host communities and workers, however there may be long-term health challenges.
- Subjects
NIGERIA; NATURAL gas reserves; RESOURCE exploitation; BACKGROUND radiation; ENERGY policy; ENERGY facilities; HEALTH risk assessment; GAS industry
- Publication
Energy & Environment, 2011, Vol 22, Issue 8, p1017
- ISSN
0958-305X
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1260/0958-305X.22.8.1017