An Overview of Environmental Impacts of Illegal Crude Oil - Refining in Rivers State
Abstract
Oil exploration and exploitation has been on-going in Rivers State and the entire Niger Delta since the mid-1950s. Crude oil since then has become the mainstay of Nigeria’s economy. The continual exploration of crude oil in the areas has led to environmental degradation. The negligence of Government on the people, and negative externalities from the extraction process have also affected the sources of the livelihood of the locals badly. These have made the people to agitate for resource control and engage in militancy, kidnapping, pipeline vandalism, crude oil theft and illegal refining of crude oil. The local refining of crude has led to serious environmental consequences. The study is qualitative and exploratory in approach. Therefore, secondary data will form the basis of data collection through comprehensive relevant literature. The study highlights some reasons for illegal crude oil, operational stages of legal and illegal crude oil refining, and environmental pollution of the air, land and water. Suggestions are put forward to curtail the illicit practices of crude oil refining. Key words: Illegal, crude oil, environment, degradation, externalities.References
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