Investigation of Potential Prevailing Wind Impact on Land Surface Temperature at Gas Flaring Sites in the Niger Delta, Nigeria.

Year 2022, Volume: 9 Issue: 1, 179 - 190, 06.03.2022

Barnabas Morakınyo , Samantha Lavender , Vıctor Abbott

https://doi.org/10.30897/ijegeo.968687

Cited By: 1

Abstract

This research examines the effects of South prevailing wind on Land Surface Temperature (LST) retrieved from Earth Observation (EO) Satellites at 11 gas flaring sites in Rivers State, Niger Delta region, Nigeria. 7 Landsat 5 Thematic Mapper (TM) and 18 Landsat 7 Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+) from 17/01/1986 to 08/03/2013 with < 5 % cloud contamination were considered. All sites are located within a single Landsat scene (Path 188, Row 057). The atmospherically corrected reflectance was used for the classification of 4 land cover (LC) types at each site. The emissivity (ε) for each site is estimated by using standard values for determined LC from Look Up Table (LUT). The surface-leaving radiance (Lλ) is computed from the atmospherically corrected thermal band 6 (High gain) and the emissivity (ε) values. The Planck equation was inverted using Landsat calibration constants to derive LST. Geospatial analysis of LST results using ArcGIS show 6 ranges of LST values for all sites. For both sensors LST retrieved for the flare stack sources are the highest values compared to other locations within the sites. Wind directions and wind speeds for Landsat data acquisitions dates and the South prevailing wind were applied to the LST for assessing their effects on it. The results show that for Eleme I and II, and Onne, the p-values results showed that no statistically significant relationships between δLST values in different directions (δLSTNE, δLSTNS and δLSTNW) existed. For Obigbo site, the wind direction (South) for data acquisition date combined with the South prevailing wind to generate a noticeable impact on the LST towards the North-East and the North-West directions. For Alua, Bonny, Chokocho, Rukpokwu, Umurolu and Sara sites, the p-value obtained is statistically significant for all the 3 (δLSTNE, δLSTNS and δLSTNW) relationships; therefore, producing a circle flare δLST footprint. For Umudioga site, only δLSTN versus δLSTW is statistically significant, causing a noticeable effect on the flare δLST in the North-West direction. Based on these results, it can be concluded that the volume and rate of burning gas, and the speed of the South wind at the time of satellite overpass are major factors that determine the influence of the South prevailing wind on the LST retrieved at the flaring sites in the Niger Delta.

Keywords

Investigation, prevailing, wind, land surface temperature, gas flaring, Niger Delta

References

• Ajao, E. A., Anurigwo, S. (2002). Land-Based Sources of Pollution in the Niger Delta, Nigeria. Ambio (13): 442-445.
• Akinola, A. O. (2018). Resource Misgovernance and the Contradictions of Gas Flaring in Nigeria: A Theoretical Conversation. Journal of Asian and African Studies (53): 749-763, https://doi.org/10.1177/0021909617722374, https://doi.org/10.1177/0021909617722374, 2018.
• Alvarez, J. (2009). Land Cover Verification Along Freeway Corridors, Natomas Basin Area, California, USA. [Online]. Available: http://www.academic.emporia.edu/aberjame/student/alvarez4/natchange.html [Accessed 26th April 2019].
• Anejionu, O. C. D., Blackburn, G. A., Whyatt, J. D. (2014). Satellite Survey of Gas Flares: Development and Application of a Landsat Based Technique in the Niger Delta. International Journal of Remote Sensing, (35): 1900-1925.
• Anejionu, O. C. D., Blackburn, G. A., Whyatt, J. D. (2015). Detecting Gas Flares and Estimating Flaring Volumes at Individual Flow Stations Using MODIS Data. Remote Sensing of Environment (158): 81-94.
• Antai, R. E., Osuji, L. C., Obafemi, A. A., Onojake, M. C., Antai, H. R. (2020). Seasonal Investigation of Meteorological Variables Effects on Air Pollution in Eleme, Rivers State, Nigeria. IOSR Journal of Environmental Science, Toxicology and Food Technology (IOSR-JESTFT) 14(4): 23-30.
• Aromolaran, O. (2012). Determination of Greenhouse Gas Emission Resulting from Gas Flaring Activities in Nigeria. Energy Policy (45): 666-670, doi:10.1016/j.enpol.2012.03.018.
• Barsi, J. A., Schott, J. R., Palluconi, F. D., Hook, S. J. (2005). Validation of a Web-Based Atmospheric Correction Tool for Single Thermal Band Instruments. Earth Observing Systems X, Proceedings of SPIE Bellingham, WA, 2005
• Casadio, S., Arino, O., Minchella, A. (2012). Use of ATSR and SAR Measurements for the Monitoring and Characterisation of Night-time Gas Flaring from Off-shore Platforms: The North Sea Test Case. Remote Sensing of Environment (123): 175-186.
• Caseiro, A., Gehrke, B., Rücker, G., Leimbach, D., Kaiser, J. W. (2019). Gas Flaring and Black Carbon Emissions in 2017 Derived from Sentinel-3A SLSTR. Earth System Science Data 1-35, doi.org/10.5194/essd-2019-99
• Caseiro, A., Rücker, G., Tiemann, J., Leimbach, D., Lorenz, E., Frauenberger, O., Kaiser, J.W. (2018). Persistent Hot Spot Detection and Characterisation Using SLSTR. Remote sensing 10(1118):1-28; doi:10.3390/rs10071118
• Chander, G., Markham, K. (2003). Revised Landsat-5 TM Radiometric Calibration Procedures and Postcalibration Dynamic Ranges. IEEE Transactions on Geosciences and Remote Sensing 41(11): 2674-2677.
• Chen, F., Zhao, X., Ye, H. (2012). Making Use of Landsat 7 SLC-off ETM+ Image through Different Recovering Approaches. Postgraduate Conference on Infrastructure and Environment (3rd IPCIE) 2: 557-563.
• Coll, C., Galve, J. M., Sanchez, J. M., Caselles, V. (2010). Validation of Landsat 7 ETM+ Thermalband Calibration and Atmospheric Correction with Ground-based Measurement. IEEE Transaction on Geosciences and Remote Sensing 48(1): 547-555.
• Dung, E. J., Bombom, L. S., Agusomu, T. D. (2008). The Effects of Gas Flaring on Crops in the Niger Delta, Nigeria. GeoJournal (73): 297-305.
• Edokpa, D. O., Nwagbara, M. O. (2017). Atmospheric Stability Pattern over Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Atmospheric Pollution 5(1): 9-17. doi: 10.12691/jap5-1-2).
• Elvidge, C. D., Zhizhin, M., Baugh, K., Hsu, F. C., Ghosh, T. (2015). Methods for Global Survey of Natural Gas Flaring from Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite Data. Energies (9): 14.
• Elvidge, C. D., Zhizhin, M., Hsu, F. C., Baugh, K. E. (2013). VIIRS Nightfire: Satellite Pyrometry at Night. Remote Sensing (5): 4423-4449.
• Eze, J. I., Obiegbu, M. E., Jude-Eze, E, N. (2005). Statistics and Quantitative Methods for Construction and Business Managers. The Nigerian Institute of Building, Yum-Seg (Nig.) Enterprises, 4, George Street, Apata, Somolu, Lagos, Nigeria.
• Fagbenle, R. L., Karayiannis, T. G. (1994). On the Wind Energy Resource of Nigeria. International Journal of Energy Research 18: 493-508.
• Faruolo, M., Coviello, I., Filizzola, C., Lacava, T., Pergola, N., Tramutoli, V. (2014). A satellite-based Analysis of the Val d’Agri Oil Center (Southern Italy) Gas Flaring Emissions. Natural Hazards Earth System Science (14): 2783-2793.
• Julius, O. O. (2011). Environmental Impact of Gas Flaring within Umutu-Ebedei Gas Plant in Delta State, Nigeria. Arch. Applied Science Research (3): 272-279.
• Kaufman, Y. J., Karnieli, A, Tanre, D. (2000). Detection of Dust Over Deserts Using Satellite Data in the Solar Wavelengths. IEEE Transactions on Geosciences and Remote Sensing 38: 525-531.
• Liu, Y., Hu, C., Zhan, W., Sun, C., Murch, B., Ma, L. (2018). Identifying Industrial Heat Sources Using Time-series of the VIIRS Nightfire product with an Object-oriented Approach. Remote Sensing of Environment (204): 347-365.
• Lu, W., Liu, Y., Wang, J., Xu, W., Wu, W., Liu, Y., Zhao, B., Li, H., Li, P. (2020). Global Proliferation of Offshore Gas Flaring Areas. Maps 16(2): 396-404.
• Maaharjan, A. (2018). Land Use/Land Cover of Kathmandu Valley by Using Remote Sensing and GIS. M.Sc. Dissertation, Department of Environmental Science, Institute of Science and Technology, Tribhuvan University, Kirtipur, Kathmandu, Nepal.
• Micheal, E. (2019): Despite Paucity of Funds, Nigeria Flares N461 bn Gas in 2019. Vanguard News.
• Morakinyo, B. O. (2015). Flaring and Pollution Detection in the Niger Delta using Remote Sensing. Ph.D Thesis, School of Marine Science and Engineering, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, United Kingdom.
• Nwaogu, L. A., Onyeze, G. O. C. (2020). Environmental Impacts of Gas Flaring on Ebocha-Egbema, Niger Delta, Nigeria. Energy and Environmental Research 8(1): 1-11.
• Nwoye, C. I., Nwakpa, S. O., Nwosu, I. E., Odo, J. U., Chinwuko, E. C., Idenyi, N. E. (2014). MultiFactorial Analysis of Atmospheric Noise Pollution Level Based on Emitted Carbon and Heat Radiation during Gas Flaring. Atmospheric Pollution (2): 22-29, doi:10.12691/jap-2-1-5.
• Oyewole, J. A., Aro, T. O. (2018). Wind Speed Pattern in Nigeria (A Case Study of Some Coastal and Inland Areas). Applied Science and Environmental Management 22 (1): 119-123.
• Qin, Q., Zhang, N., Nan, P., Chai, L. (2011). Geothermal Area Detection Using Landsat ETM+ Thermal Infrared Data and Its Mechanistic Analysis: A Case Study in Tengchong, China. International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and GeoInformation 13: 552-559.
• Reed, R. J. (1986). Combustion Handbook. North American Manufacturing Company, Cleveland, Oklahoma, USA, Volume 1.
• Zhang, X., Scheving, B., Shoghli, B., Zygarlicke, C., Wocken, C. (2015). Quantifying Gas Flaring CH4 Consumption Using VIIRS. Remote Sensing (7): 9529-9541.