Sociodemographic and Population Exposure to Upstream Oil and Gas Operations in Canada

Martin Lavoie (), David Risk and Daniel Rainham
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Martin Lavoie: Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, St. Francis Xavier University, Antigonish, NS B2G 2W5, Canada
David Risk: Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, St. Francis Xavier University, Antigonish, NS B2G 2W5, Canada
Daniel Rainham: School of Health and Human Performance, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada

IJERPH, 2024, vol. 21, issue 12, 1-20

Abstract: Canada, as one of the largest oil and gas producer in the world, is responsible for large emissions of methane, a powerful greenhouse gas. At low levels, methane is not a direct threat to human health; however, human health is affected by exposure to pollutants co-emitted with methane. The objectives of this research were to estimate and map pollutants emitted by the oil and gas industry, to assess the demographic of the population exposed to oil and gas activities, and to characterize the impact of well density on cardiovascular- and respiratory-related outcomes with a focus on Alberta. We estimated that ~13% and 3% people in Alberta reside, respectively, within 1.5 km of an active well and 1.5 km of a flare. Our analysis suggests that racial and socioeconomic disparities exist in residential proximity to active wells, with people of Aboriginal identity and people with less education being more exposed to active wells than the general population. We found increased odds of cardiovascular-related (1.13–1.29 for low active well density) and respiratory-related (1.07–1.19 for low active well density) outcomes with exposure to wells. Close to 100 countries produce oil and gas, making this a global issue. There is an important need for additional studies from other producing jurisdictions outside the United States.

Keywords: methane; nitrous oxide; air pollutants; air quality; oil and gas; CanCHEC; DAD (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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