Browsing by Subject "environmental services"

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    Measuring the effects of compensation for environmental services interventions on social norms and conservation behavior in Bolivia
    (2010-04-28T19:44:55Z) Turiansky, Abbie
    Payments for Environmental Services (PES) that give landowners a financial incentive to manage their land to provide valuable environmental services may provide an efficient way to conserve forest land and improve the livelihoods of landowners receiving payments. While these programs appear promising, little rigorous evaluation has been conducted to learn about the impacts of PES on the environment or on the people and communities involved. Fundación Natura Bolivia, a conservation NGO, plans to implement a PES program in a new management area, accompanied by a study that aims to identify and understand the impacts of PES. Identifying the impacts of PES and determining why they occur requires baseline information from a program site so that changes can be monitored as the program is implemented. The objective of this research is to identify key environmental, social, economic, and institutional indicators to include in the study and to design a survey instrument to measure these indicators. This report is intended as a guide for Fundación Natura Bolivia as they conduct this and future evaluations of their programs. Key indicators were identified through a literature survey and extensive fieldwork conducted in Bolivia in the summer of 2009. Environmental indicators include agricultural land use, forest use, decision-making, and environmental awareness. Socioeconomic indicators include household consumption, economic access, employment and income sources, and non-income measures of wellbeing. Finally, institutional indicators include community organizations and informal institutions, environmental norms and attitudes, and relationships with outside organizations and other communities. A survey designed to measure these indicators is included with this report, along with recommendations for survey design and implementation.
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    Oilfield Waste: An Overlooked Commodity
    (2021-04-29) Umbro, Michael
    California oil and gas operators generate large quantities of non-hazardous waste through daily field operations. Vacuum trailers are used to haul oilfield waste to open pits or mixing pads located on lease. Where pits and mixing pads are not available, operators haul waste to third party disposal or landfill. This study evaluates standard oilfield waste handling practices and identifies opportunities to (1) enhance oil recovery, (2) reduce environmental footprint, (3) gain operational efficiencies, and (4) achieve cost savings for the operator. The study sought to determine if centralized processing reduces environmental impact and costs associated with waste handling for oil and gas operators. Oil recovery pilots across three of California’s largest oilfields have generated over $12 million per year in revenue that was being lost to mix pads or landfills. The cumulative oil revenue has exceeded $50 million. The results from pilot studies could have major implications on emerging shale plays, where fluid volumes far exceed those in the mature fields of California. Flowback procedures on new wells generate as much as 20,000 barrels per day of oil-bearing fluids. At a 20% oil cut, 4,000 barrels of oil recovered would result in $200,000 saved every day fluids that fluids are recycled. The study offers a roadmap for waste minimization in mature oilfields and a blueprint for waste optimization strategies in emerging shale plays.