GeoMechanical Innovations in Mitigating Geohazard Risks and Submarine Landslides in Nigerian Deepwater Oilfields

Offshore oil operations of Nigeria especially in the technically complex Niger Delta play host to a variety of geohazard risks that has the potential to compromise the security, productivity and sustainability of oil production operations.These risks are mainly controlled by geo mechanical conditions such as rates of sedimentation, gas hydrate dissociation, tectonic activity and accumulation of pore pressure.These hazards promote the danger of submarine landslides resulting from sediment destabilisation and over pressurisation factors.Such an eventuality can lead to considerable destruction of subsea pipelines, wellbores, and oil platforms causing adverse effects on the environment, huge losses, and costly time overruns.This review discusses the geo mechanical factors that lead to slope instability in the Niger Delta region and stresses the need for sustainable risk management programs.Real-time monitoring devices like the ADCPs and inclinometer arrays can be used to produce early signals for slope failure thus the operators can intervene before the complete failure of the slope.Flexible pipeline and floating production system seaborne assets are useful in improving the existence of offshore facilities.Consequently, there are underlying concerns highlighted in the findings regarding the progressive need for effective geotechnical assessment, forecasting, risk management and management solutions for the Nigerian offshore oil environment in an attempt to promote operational safety and longevity.Future research should continue to improve the procedures for threat assessment and evolution of seismic risk maps, increase the application of real-time monitoring techniques, and improve the integration of engineering disciplines in better controlling the hazards in this region.