Quantitative Assessment Of Environmental Impacts Of Petroleum Development In The Yellow River Delta

To make a quantitative assessment of ecological environmental impacts of human activities is an important issue in the field of sustainable development. For the Yellow River Delta, it is one of the most important research questions to make a quantitative research in assessing the environmental impacts of petroleum development.On the basis of review of progress on the environmental impacts of petroleum development, this dissertation provides qualitative versus quantitative analysis of the environmental impacts of petroleum development in the Yellow River Delta. The dissertation is divided into seven chapters. The first chapter makes a review of progress on the environmental impacts of petroleum development, then research topics, research methods, technology roadmap are introduced. The second chapter introduces the geographical and socio-economic profile of the study area. The third chapter provides a comprehensive preliminary analysis of the environmental impacts of petroleum development in the Yellow River Delta. The fourth chapter includes an establishment of the index system of petroleum development environmental impact assessment, which is based on the PSR (Pressure-State-Response) framework, and then a comparative analysis of the environmental impacts of oil exploration industry and oil refinery industry from 2003 to 2006 is carried through on the basis of quantitative calculations. The fifth chapter estimates the environmental costs of oil exploration industry and oil refinery industry from 2003 to 2006 separately on the basis of SEEA (System of Integrated Environmental and Economic Accounting) and a comparative analysis is conducted. In the sixth chapter, countermeasures and suggestions on how to promote the development of oil and coordinated development of environment are put forward from the points of view, such as strengthening environmental management, the vigorously development of the circular economy and so on. The seventh chapter summarizes the main contents studied in the paper, and points out the insufficiencies in the dissertation and gives follow-up research priorities.Through analysis of the environmental impacts of petroleum development, the dissertation reaches the following conclusions,Firstly, the environmental impact assessment of both oil exploration industry and oil refinery industry from 2003 to 2006 were evaluated through the establishment of the pressure-state-response evaluation index system on the environmental impacts of petroleum development. The result showed that, the score of the environmental impacts of oil exploration industry was dwindling continuously, the score dropped from 0.5062(2003) to 0.2893(2006), the score of the environmental impacts of oil refinery industry increased significantly, the score rose from 0.2661(2003) to 0.5429(2006). Comparative analysis showed that there were comparatively large differences between oil exploration industry and oil refinery industry in resources and energy consumption, emissions and waste management. Therefore, it is necessary to take specific measures to promote the sustainable development of oil resources and maintain a sound ecological environment in the Yellow River Delta.Secondly, according to the SEEA, the environmental costs of oil development in the Yellow River Delta were estimated. The results showed that, the costs was 5.9606 billion in 2003, while the number amounted to 6.1560 billion in 2006, increased by 3.28 percent. The environmental costs of the oil exploration industry accounted for the vast majority of the total costs of the two industries.Thirdly, the environmental impacts of petroleum development is multifaceted, including soil pollution, air pollution, sound pollution, pollution of ground water and surface water pollution, etc. The environmental impacts of petroleum development in the Yellow River Delta can not be ignored.Fourthly, in respect of pressure indicators, the changing trends of oil exploration industry was similar to that of oil refinery industry, both were on the rise, the score of oil refinery industry simply rose even more. In respect of state indicators, the score of the oil exploration industry showed a downward trend, but the score of oil refinery industry showed a very clear rising trend. In respect of response indicators, the changing trends of oil exploration industry was similar to that of oil refinery industry, both showed a downtrend, but the score of oil exploration industry showed a more significant decline.Lastly, in order to accomplish coordinated progress of oil and natural gas resources development and environmental protection, based on the theory of sustainable development and ecological economics theory, suggestions were put forward as follows, strengthening environmental management, formation of the dynamic management system in environmental protection of petroleum development, establishing and improving the economic compensation system on resources and ecological environment, vigorously development of the circular economy of oil industry, collaborative efforts between the oilfields and local districts.