Vulnerability in a Populated Coastal Zone and Its Influence by Oil Wells in Santa Elena, Ecuador

Gricelda Herrera-Franco, F. Javier Montalván, Andrés Velastegui-Montoya and Jhon Caicedo-Potosí
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Gricelda Herrera-Franco: Facultad de Ciencias de la Ingeniería, Universidad Estatal Península de Santa Elena (UPSE), La Libertad 240204, Ecuador
F. Javier Montalván: Facultad de Ciencias de la Ingeniería, Universidad Estatal Península de Santa Elena (UPSE), La Libertad 240204, Ecuador
Andrés Velastegui-Montoya: Facultad de Ingeniería en Ciencias de la Tierra, ESPOL Polytechnic University, Guayaquil P.O. Box 09-01-5863, Ecuador
Jhon Caicedo-Potosí: Centro de Investigación y Proyectos Aplicados a las Ciencias de la Tierra (CIPAT), ESPOL Polytechnic University, Guayaquil P.O. Box 09-01-5863, Ecuador

Resources, 2022, vol. 11, issue 8, 1-18

Abstract: The oil industry requires studies of the possible impacts and risks that exploration, exploitation, and industrialization can cause to the environment and communities. The main objective of this study was to assess the vulnerability caused by oil wells of the Salinas and La Libertad cantons in Ecuador by proposing a multi-criteria spatial analysis methodology that would aid in land-use planning and management. The proposed methodology relates the variables of distance, identification of gas emission from oil wells, permeability, and the state of oil wells (DIPS). The methodology consists of: (i) the diagnosis of oilfield wells; (ii) environmental considerations of productive wells, wells in temporary abandonment, and wells in permanent abandonment; (iii) the vulnerability assessment of both intrinsic and extrinsic aspects of the wells; and (iv) the development of a vulnerability map and recommendations for land management. The results showed 462 wells in the study area, of which 92% were shown to be located in urban areas. Of the total, 114 wells were considered to be productive wells, 89% of which are in urban areas. The vulnerability map identified the areas to be addressed, which coincided with coastal and urban areas associated with oil production. Our main recommendation is to elaborate land-use planning regulations and build safety infrastructure around the wells to guarantee their distance from houses, beaches, and tourism-development sites. The vulnerability map was shown to serve as an essential diagnostic for decision making in managing oil territories, especially in coastal areas.

Keywords: vulnerability; oil wells; land-use planning; coastal area; sustainability (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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