ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF GAS FLARING AND MITIGATION STRATEGIES

ABSTRACT Gas flaring remains a persistent environmental and economic concern in oil-producing regions, particularly in Nigeria. This study investigates the environmental, health, and economic impacts of gas flaring from 2020 to 2025 using secondary data from the Nigerian Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) Gas Flare Tracker and relevant literature. The dataset includes 40 records across major flaring states, incorporating variables such as gas flared (MMscf), CO₂ emissions (million tonnes), gas value lost (million USD), penalties (million USD), and potential power generation (GWh). Descriptiveanalysisrevealedthatgasflaringvolumesrangedfrom0to88.1MMscf,withamean of18.57MMscf.CO₂emissionsaveraged0.98milliontonnes,whilepenaltiespayablereachedup to $176.2 million USD in some states. The highest gas flaring activities were recorded in Delta, Rivers, and Bayelsa States, which together accounted for over 60% of total gas flared and nearly 9,000 GWh in untapped power generation potential annually. A strong positive correlation (r > 0.95) was found between gas flared, CO₂ emissions, and economic losses. A linear regression model identified gas flared volume as the strongest predictor of emissions, validatingtheurgencyofemissionmitigationstrategies.Thestudyconcludesthatdespitenational and international regulatory frameworks, flaring remains entrenched due to infrastructural gaps and weak enforcement. It recommends the deployment of flare recovery technologies, real-time monitoring systems, and fiscal incentives to promote gas utilization. Thisresearchcontributesnewinsightsbyquantifyingthecompoundenvironmentalandeconomic lossesfromflaringandproposingdata-drivenmitigationstrategiestosupportNigeria’stransition toward sustainable energy and improved public health.