Sudipta Majumdar, Ph.D.
Amity Business School
Amity University Kolkata
Mr. Amit Mathur paid a farmer 10,000 INR to get permission to drill for oil on a farm in Trombay (Maharashtra, India) and promised to remove the black ooze that would damage the crops. Mr. Mathur was lucky as he found large oil reserves in that area. Big oil companies immediately acquired the surrounding land and Trombay became one of the major petroleum producing regions of India. In a span of a few years, it had started distributing 12 billion barrels of oil and 113 billion cubic feet of natural gas mined in Trombay. This helped companies gain high profits. It also helped in the industrial development of the surrounding area as well as the state (Maharashtra).
But it has raised the pollution levels of Trombay extensively. The oil refineries at Trombay dumped tons of waste containing potentially toxic and heavy metals like carbon and organic chemicals into water for many years. The water in the surrounding areas of Trombay was contaminated by the toxic wastes. The towns near Trombay were also affected as the industrial wastes were dumped off in old wells in the adjoining areas. The off-shore drilling sites dumped the wastes into nearby canal water. People of Trombay had to face serious water pollution problems. Out of the 54 water wells, 50 contained heavy metal deposits.
Much of the pollution associated with oil and gas production was because of the salt and the drilled out mud. In Trombay, the petroleum reserves were found in salt domes and to pull the oil or gas from there, one has to drill the salt out of these domes. When a well is drilled, thousands of litres of brine (salt water) come to the surface. This is then pumped into disposal wells that have been drilled into porous rocks. Drilling mud, another major source of pollution was used to lubricate the drilling bits and flush the drill cuttings to the surface. The mud is a mixture of viscous clay, weighing agents, and chemicals used in different proportions. Weighing agents and heavy metals such as barium, chromium, arsenic, lead, titanium and zinc were added to solidify the rock and prevent it from collapsing. The chemicals used were carbolic acid, caustic soda, ammonia bisulphate, zinc chromate, formaldehyde, asbestos, asphalt and phenols. One third of the drilling mud was forced into rock formations, while the rest of the mud was recycled. The underground water supplies were polluted by the salt, heavy metals and chemicals disposed of by the petroleum industry.
In Trombay, environmentalists found unacceptable levels of salt, heavy metals and chemicals in drinking water. It was two to three times more than what was found in the drinking water of rural farms and small towns throughout the southern part of Mumbai. As a result, many people living in Trombay suffered serious health problems. Many died of cardio pulmonary arrest and with liver cancer. In a nationwide survey conducted on death caused by cancer, the centre for oil and gas production in the state ranked in the top 5%.
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As you read and analyze this case study, your reflective comments are requested on all of the following:
- Who are the stakeholders, and how are they impacted both positively and negatively?
- What knowledge and skills are needed to implement sophisticated, appropriate, and workable solutions to the complex global problems facing the world today?
- What interdisciplinary perspectives would help identify innovative and non-obvious solutions?
- What insights can you articulate, based on your culture and other cultures with which you are familiar, to help understand your worldview and enable greater civic engagement?
- What is your position on the right thing(s) to do?
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Comments
Some knowledge that should have been addressed prior to this is that there are ways to drill around these salt domes underground to not contaminate the area. Even though those ways may have been less efficient and cost these companies more time and money, more attention should have been paid to the negative impact that this production had.
More geologists and environmentalists should've been a part of the exploration part of these wells being drilled.
I believe there was a better way to go about discovering these reservoirs. While new and successful exploration as big as this one is rare, it is sometimes not as necessary. Most likely, a healthy amount of oil could've been extracted with other techniques while keeping the environment and living conditions still adequate. While environmental and societal impacts are inevitable regarding Oil and Gas, they can also be plausible. I believe there is always a healthy give and take. because of the demand for oil and gas, it is necessary, but at the same time, there needs to be an ethical balance between what is needed and what is suitable for our environment.
The key stakeholders include the local farmers, residents of Trombay,oil companies and governmental bodies at every level of the state. Local farmers face the dual challenge of potential economic gains from selling the land and obtaining employment oppprtunities whereas they also face the adverse affects of infected water and health hazards. Financial profit is what oil companies stand for, but they also risk damaging their reputation and facing legal obligations due to environmental violations.
Government authorities play an important role in balancing economic development with environmental protection and public health.Doing this needs a multidisciplinary approach consisting environmental science , engineering , public health, economics, and policy making. Effective solutions must include environmental imapct mitigation,health monitoring and regulatory policies to ensure responsible drilling practices.
From an individual point of view, prioritizing substainable development that respects well-being of both the community and nature is paramount.Interdisciplinary collabration is necessary to address the wide varities of challenges posed by oil drilling, technological innovations, public health considerations and social prospectives.
In terms of stakeholders the land owners, oil companies and local populations are in the center of discussion. While on one hand, the land owner got initially benifitted from selling the drilling rights, on the other hand he/she faces the long term impacts on water quality and community health .
Recognizing these challenges require unconventional problem solving approaches namely desalination to mitigate the water contamination while generationg additional value form salt extraction. Using political momentum particularly through climate change advocacy we can elevate the issue to the forefront of policy agendas driving systemic change.
In conclusion, addressing the complexities of oil drilling in Trombay demands a holistic strategy that encompasses diverse experties, promotes sustainability, favours the locals, empowers the stakeholders to partici[ate in decision making processes.Q
For knowledge and skills, addressing global problems needs people who know a lot about different areas, can think critically, work well with others, lead effectively, use technology, and do things ethically and sustainably. It is important to understand how things are connected, work together with diverse groups, and focus on making the world better for everyone.
For Interdisciplinary perspectives combining diverse ways of thinking about the environment, people's health, and money can help produce smart ideas for fixing the problems caused by oil drilling in Trombay. Using innovative technology, being fair to everyone, and making stronger rules can help make sure that the environment stays healthy while still allowing for economic growth. Everyone working together and thinking creatively is key to finding good solutions that protect nature and keep people safe.
Based on the culture that I am most familiar with the insight that I have on this case leads me to believe that the environment trumps economic improvements. Seeing as I come from an environment where we are extremely connected to nature and harvest most of our resources from nature. We should strive for innovations that are safe for our environment. I believe that when it comes to the right things to do we should develop a very strict system in which we would not be harming the environment but will produce an innovative way to develop the economy.
One way that the people of Trombay stood any chance of understanding what this meant was by learning or knowing about the drilling process and what production meant for them and the surrounding areas.
To understand the seriousness of this issue knowledge from environmentalists, medical experts, petroleum engineers, waste management and even biologists along with many others are needed to come up with a proper and ethical solution for this problem. Not only are people getting affected but so are the land and the environment. Based on my culture I can understand the frustration and disappointment of the Trombay people. It is important to know and be familiar to different cultures outside of our own to empathize and understand what is important to them and the feelings that are mutual as human beings. It is also important to understand the economic view of this situation so you can get a feeling of the intentions behind this issue. I can say that they are no good for the people of Trombay and in this case economic growth is more important to these people than the peace and sustainability of the land.
I think the right thing to do is obviously to take some time in reverting and cleansing the land of Trombay and remove any oil drilling but of course, that is unrealistic. There should be a compromise between the oil companies and the people of Trompay. A restriction on oil production and a solution from the company on waste management.
The primary stakeholders include the local farming, the people living in Trombay, oil companies, and the local and state governments. The local people face the downside of polluted water and health issues, despite the chance of making money from selling their land or finding jobs. On the other hand, oil companies are making a lot of money but could run into trouble with environmental rules and damage to their reputation.
The government stands in a critical position, balancing between fostering economic development and ensuring environmental protection and public health. This requires knowledge in many areas: understanding the environmental impact, using science and technology to find better ways to drill and manage waste, keeping an eye on public health, and creating laws to make sure drilling is done responsibly. Also, they need to consider economics to make sure the area can grow in a way that’s good for everyone.
Tackling the complex issue of oil pollution needs knowledge from various fields. Understanding how oil extraction affects the environment requires environmental science. Engineering and technology are key for finding cleaner ways to get oil and manage pollution. Public health is important to check and reduce health risks from pollution. Laws and policies need to be made and enforced to keep a balance between oil drilling and protecting nature. Also, knowing about economics and business helps figure out how to make sustainable practices work financially and encourages companies to act responsibly. All these skills together help solve the problems caused by oil drilling in a way that’s good for both people and the planet.
From an interdisciplinary perspective, addressing these challenges demands the integration of environmental science for sustainable practices, engineering for cleaner extraction technologies, public health to monitor and mitigate health impacts, and social sciences to understand and incorporate community concerns and values.
Thinking about my own background, I see how important it is to live in harmony with nature. We should aim for development that takes care of our planet and makes life better for everyone.
In the end, the right course of action would be having a plan that covers everything: strict environmental rules, making sure the community has a say, investing in new technology, and finding different ways for the economy to grow. This approach will help fix the damage from drilling and make Trombay a better place, respecting both nature and people’s needs. It might also save some other places from facing the same situation.
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