A Multidisciplinary Approach to Evaluate the Environmental Impacts of Hydrocarbon Production in Khuzestan Province, Iran

Herimitsinjo Rajaoalison, Dariusz Knez () and Mohammad Ahmad Mahmoudi Zamani
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Herimitsinjo Rajaoalison: Department of Drilling and Geoengineering, Faculty of Drilling, Oil and Gas, AGH University of Science and Technology, Mickiewicza 30, 30-059 Krakow, Poland
Dariusz Knez: Department of Drilling and Geoengineering, Faculty of Drilling, Oil and Gas, AGH University of Science and Technology, Mickiewicza 30, 30-059 Krakow, Poland
Mohammad Ahmad Mahmoudi Zamani: Department of Drilling and Geoengineering, Faculty of Drilling, Oil and Gas, AGH University of Science and Technology, Mickiewicza 30, 30-059 Krakow, Poland

Energies, 2022, vol. 15, issue 22, 1-19

Abstract: From the late 1900s onward, hydrocarbon exploitation has led to severe environmental footprints in the Khuzestan province, Iran. However, no comprehensive study has been conducted to evaluate such issues. In this research, an inclusive analysis was performed to investigate these environmental impacts. To do this, first, two datasets related to a 15-year period (2006–2021) were collated: the satellite data from the Sentinel-1 mission and the seismic data recorded by the National Iranian Geophysics Institute as well as the catalog of the global Centroid Moment Tensor project (CMT). These datasets were processed using generic mapping tools (GMT), differential synthetic aperture radar (D-InSAR) techniques, and multiple processing algorithms using a specific toolbox for oil spill application in the sentinel application platform (SNAP) programming, respectively. The results revealed three critical footprints, including regional earthquakes, land subsidence, and oil spill issues in the area. The most frequent earthquakes originated from depths less than 15 km, indicating the disturbance of the crustal tectonics by the regional hydrocarbons. Furthermore, an annual rate of land subsidence equal to 10–15 cm was observed in the coastal areas of the Khuzestan province. Moreover, two regions located in the north and west of the Persian Gulf were detected as the permanently oil-spilled areas. The applied methodology and results are quite applicable to restrict the harmful consequences of hydrocarbon production in the study area. This research will benefit not only government officials and policymakers, but also those looking to understand the environmental challenges related to oil and gas production, especially in terms of sustainable goals for the management of natural resources.

Keywords: sustainable management; oil/gas exploitation; environmental footprints; land subsidence; oil spill; seismic activities; natural resources; remote sensing; Sentinel-1 mission (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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