Ground Surface Deformation in the Niger-Delta Basin Caused by Hydrocarbon Exploration: First Results from Satellite InSAR Surveys

The Niger Delta basin located at the apex of the Gulf of Guinea on the west African coast has a vast deposit of hydrocarbon from which Nigeria’s oil and gas is derived. Although the export of oil and gas resources from this region has significantly improved the nation’s economy over the years, activities associated with hydrocarbon exploration have a significant impact on the land surface among other environmental detriments. If the benefits of hydrocarbon exploration and production must be realized in tandem with the environment, understanding the magnitude and nature of surface deformation within the production zones is crucial.

In this study, we present first results of InSAR-derived spatial and temporal variations in surface deformations over the oil production fields within the Niger Delta Basin. The mean deformation velocity maps and time-series of displacements for measurement points are used to assess rates of ground deformation.

Sentinel-1 C-band SAR data acquired between 2014 and 2023 are analyzed using both Persistent Scatterer Interferometry (PSI) and Small Baseline Subset (SBAS) InSAR techniques to assess deformation over oil and gas fields. We utilized the Stanford Method for Persistent Scatterer (StaMPS) technique for PSI processing and the MintPy package for SBAS analysis. Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar Scientific Environment (ISCE) developed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory is used to generate the interferograms. The findings of the study will reveal the rate of subsidence and uplift in the line-of-sight (LOS) direction over the active production oil/gas wells within the Niger Delta basin.

The findings of this study would be an invaluable input in decision-making for the benefit of affected communities and other stakeholders in the oil and gas industry. Monitoring subsidence helps to prevent hazards, ensures operational safety, and supports sustainable resource management in the affected areas.