ANALYSIS OF OIL PIPELINE FIRE DISASTER MANAGEMENT IN THE NIGER DELTA REGION, NIGERIA

ANALYSIS OF OIL PIPELINE FIRE DISASTER MANAGEMENT IN THE NIGER DELTA REGION, NIGERIA

This research proposal is aimed at analyzing oil pipeline fire disaster management in the Niger Delta Region.

CHAPTER ONE

1.1     Background to the Study

Fires are the accidents which occur most frequently, whose causes are the most diverse and which require intervention methods and techniques adapted to the conditions and needs of each incident. Depending on the type of fire (nature of the material ablaze), meteorological conditions (wind) and the effectiveness of the intervention, material damage can be limited (a single car, building or production or storage warehouse installation), or affect wide areas (forest or agricultural fires, hydrocarbons, gas or other highly flammable products, storage or piping installations, harbour installations and rail or marine transport equipment). (International Civil Defense Organization (ICDO), 2018).

Major pipelines across the world transport large quantities of crude oil, natural gas, and petroleum products. These pipelines play an important role in modern societies and are crucial in providing needed fuels for sustaining vital functions such as power generation, heating supply, and transportation. In light of the hazardous properties of the products being transmitted through these pipelines, a ruptured pipeline has the potential to do serious environmental damage (Achebe, Nneke and Anisiji, 2012). All projects are exposed to a myriad of risks but as a fundamental part of project management, disaster management enhances the delivery of projects within predefined cost, time and quality. According to Hopkins (2013) when implemented in line with good practice, principles and organizational commitments, risk management also provides desirable benefits for project stakeholders.

In today’s dynamic and complex business environment, more complex industrial projects like oil and gas projects which are valuable assets, require further refinements to assess risks and prioritize protective measures for these critical pieces of economic infrastructure and national pride (World Bank, 2015). The spatial distribution and transport of oil (liquid petroleum) in Nigeria are majorly carried out through pipeline and road truck tankers (Ambituuni, Hopkins, Amezaga, Werner and Wood, 2015). Pipelines are generally considered the safest form of transporting energy, including petroleum products (Hopkins, 2013). Oil pipeline fire disaster is generally attributed to those mishaps or hazards/disasters due to the loss of containment of pipeline product; thus, pipeline fire disaster and its risk associated should, therefore, be managed for an effective oil pipeline disaster risk management through the development of measures needed to mitigate and reduce every form of disaster. Similarly, disaster means emergency as a result of hazards or human-induced actions leading to a significant change in circumstances over a relatively short time period (Olorunfemi and Raheem, 2014). Disaster management can be defined as the “coordination and integration of all activities necessary to build, sustain, and improve the capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to and recover from threatening or actual natural or human-induced disasters” (National Disaster Management Framework (NDMF), 2010).

1.2     Statement of the Problem

Oil and gas projects necessitating oil pipeline activities have the potential of becoming dangerous to life, property, and the environment if the activity is not controlled and regulated appropriately (WHO, 2010). Moreover, the gas leakage that frequently occurs in this industry leads to social conflicts and casualties (Nwilo and Badejo, 2013). Developing nations, in particular, experience a pervasive risk of devastation, human and property loss resulting from human-induced disasters and natural disasters.

According to Henderson (2004), this level of risk was attributable to socio-economic stress, aging and inadequate physical infrastructure, weak education and preparedness for disaster and insufficient fiscal and economic resources to carefully implement the preparedness, response, mitigation and recovery components of integrated emergency management.

Oil pipeline fire disasters are usually caused by vandalisation of petroleum pipelines. However, except for the number of deaths recorded, little information of the effects of such disasters on the environment is often reported in developing countries, and the post-disaster remediation process is thus usually unmonitored or ineffective; but their circumstances can be anticipated by considering the risks and the level of toughness. Disasters can happen at any time and certainly cannot be prevented, but their impacts can be minimized by the adoption of a strategy for dealing with and managing disasters. Risks should be mitigated since the beginning to prevent disasters. Therefore, any risk analysis must be integrated with the disaster risk assessment and management. It is against this backdrop that the study is based on the analysis of oil pipeline fire disaster management in Nigeria.

1.3     Aim and Objectives

The aim of the study is to analyze the management of oil pipeline fire disaster in the Niger Delta Region. The specific objectives include to;

1. Determine the causes of the oil pipeline fires in the Niger Delta Region.
2. Examine the pre-disaster management strategies for oil pipeline fires in the Niger Delta Region.
3. Analyse the management of oil pipeline fire disaster during the incident.
4. Evaluate post disaster management strategies of oil pipeline fires.

1.4     Research Questions

The following questions will guide the study;

1. What are the causes of oil pipeline fires in the Niger Delta region?
2. What are the pre-disaster strategies in place for managing oil pipeline disaster?

• How adequate are the managing strategies in place during oil pipeline fire disaster?

1. What are the post-disaster environmental strategies for managing oil pipeline fires?

1.5     Research Hypotheses

H₀₁: The pre-disaster management strategies of oil companies for oil pipeline fires in the Niger Delta Region are not effective.

H₀₂: The management strategies by oil companies during oil pipeline disaster in the Niger Delta Region are not effective.

H₀₃: The post-disaster management strategies by oil companies for oil pipeline fires in the Niger Delta Region are not effective.

CHAPTER ONE. 3

INTRODUCTION.. 3

1.1    Background to the Study. 3

1.2    Statement of the Problem.. 5

1.3    Aim and Objectives. 6

1.4    Research Questions. 7

1.5    Research Hypotheses. 7

CHAPTER TWO.. 8

LITERATURE REVIEW… 8

2.1    Introduction. 8

2.2    Theoretical framework: Accident Cause Theory. 100

CHAPTER THREE. 122

METHODOLOGY.. 122

3.1    Research Design. 122

3.2    Population of Study. 12

3.3    Types and Sources of Data. 133

3.4    Sampling Technique. 133

3.5    Validation of Sampling Instrument 14

3.6    Data Collection and Analysis. 14

References  17