Abstract
Sustainability is increasingly considered an essential business function, but in Libya, petroleum companies are slow to address operational issues that could reduce environmental concerns. This study aims to evaluate the environmental impacts of upstream petroleum operations. The methods adopted in the study are a literature review, an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) study, fieldwork trials and 56 semi-structured interviews with Libyan personnel involved in upstream activities. The results of the study show that the main environmental impacts identified are atmospheric, aquatic or terrestrial and the most significant pollutants are found to be from the first category, mainly from engine exhausts, turbine emissions, gas flaring and venting. Major environmental degradations are identified in Libyan upstream operations and a number of recommendations suggested to minimise their effect, with the most important of these being the establishing of strict sustainability policies and regulations, and the implementation of an environmental management system.
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Acknowledgements
This chapter is updated from the following initial publication:
Ammar Irhoma, Daizhong Su and Martin Higginson, 2016, ‘Analysis and evaluation of the environmental impacts of upstream petroleum operations’, International Journal of Manufacturing Technology and Management, Vol. 30, Nos. 1/2, pp 116–142.
The authors are grateful for the permission from the publisher of the journal, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, for using the initial source in this book.
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Irhoma, A., Su, D., Higginson, M. (2020). An Analysis and Evaluation of the Environmental Impacts of ‘Upstream’ Petroleum Operations. In: Su, D. (eds) Sustainable Product Development. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-39149-2_11
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