Contribution of Volatile Organic Compounds to Nigeria's Airshed by Petroleum Refineries

Abstract

Abstract The emission factor approach was employed to predict the emission potential of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from both operating and proposed petroleum refineries in Nigeria. The emission sources from the refineries (4 operating and 14 newly licensed) were classified as point and area with anticipated VOC release into the environment estimated. The overall contribution was also estimated using human population and land mass distribution. The no-control-measure option gave estimated VOCs from the existing 4 petroleum refineries located in the states of Delta, Kaduna, and Rivers as 147,212 ton/annum (if operated at full capacity), while the successful construction and commissioning of the approved 14 refineries located in the states of Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Cross River, Delta, Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, and Rivers can raise this by about 240%. Rivers State with the highest number of refineries has the highest emission distribution per head while Lagos State has the least; the southern part of the country was noted to be at great risk of VOC emission from petroleum refineries. Both technology and policy options are suggested to control the potential emissions.