13:40 - 15:20
Room: G1350
Oral session
Chair/s:
Michael Stein
Spatial distribution of airborne hazardous emissions from oil industry in Ecuadorian Amazon: An insight from comparisons amongst several dataset
Juan Durango-Cordero 1, Mehdi Saqalli 2, Elger Arnaud 3
1 EcoLab, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, INPT, UPS, Toulouse
2 GEODE, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UT2J, Toulouse
3 EcoLab, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, INPT, UPS, Toulouse

Airborne hazardous emissions from oil activities may impact local human health and global climate in the North-eastern Ecuadorian Amazon (NEA), an enriched biodiverse and cultural area threatened by oil extraction. This study aims to provide insight in benefits of data disclosure from institutions, improves hazard mapping using combination of local and regional pollutants, and assesses airborne impacts from oil industry in sensitive ecosystems for a comprehensible risk evaluation. For so doing, a spatial inventory is built from institutional reports spanning 9 years from 2003 to 2012. Emissions are estimated for gas flaring, associated black carbon (BC) and greenhouse gases (i.e. CO2, CH4). Subsequently, emissions were compared with previous estimates. Results indicate total gas flared of 6211.62 Mm3, and 776.45 (± 45.45) Mm3.yr-1, equivalent to a 3105 - 4544 range of t BC, ranging from 388 to 568 t.yr-1. The results allowed to map emissions at a higher spatial scale than other studies. Potential hazardous emissions were higher (29.4-148 kg.m-2.yr-1 BC) in cities of Shushufindi and Joya de Los Sachas. Emissions in Shushufindi, Auca and Pacayacu were 1600 (±1.7), 1300 (±0.4) and 2800 (±0.2) t.yr-1 CO2 respectively. Gas flared represents economic losses for at least US$116.93 million/yr. Compared to other studies, local health related estimates were in agreement, while climate linked emissions increased by an order of magnitude. BC emissions is suggested as proxy for climate and local health impacts, while greenhouse gases and flared gas for climate and evaluation of potential economic losses. The resulted maps may improve risk assessments at finer scales and spatial resolutions when associated with vulnerability maps in sensitive ecosystems.


Reference:
S46-03
Session:
Risk and decision analysis in critical infrastructure, part IV
Presenter/s:
Juan Durango-Cordero
Presentation type:
Oral presentation
Room:
G1350
Chair/s:
Michael Stein
Date:
Wednesday, 20 June
Time:
13:40 - 15:20
Session times:
13:40 - 15:20