Influence of Seismic Survey Activities on the Environment in Soy North Ward, Elgeyo Marakwet County, Kenya

BackgroundExtractive~ activities~ refer~ to~ any~ process~ that~ encompasses~ the~ abstraction~ of~ unprocessed~ constituents~ from~ the~ earth that are valuable to the consumers.The process and operations entailing of all the activities involved from discovering a natural resource, drilling them and bringing them to the surface is what encompasses the extractive industry.Such process that are comprised in the expedition are; mining, dredging, quarrying and gas and oil exploration.(UNEP,2009).The environment usually describes the surroundings.These surroundings can be biological or~ natural in nature.With the advanced focus on sustainable development, the term environment has been elaborated to capture the interaction of human beings with the natural resources in their surroundings (HOCADEO, 2012).According to Watts (2001) environment is social and natural conditions around current and future generations of humankind.It entails living and non-living matters in the surroundings.Among these surroundings is structures, human health, sites, Land and associated resources, nutrition and safety.In regard to the context herein above, environment can be regarded as man's natural habitation with various constituents within which a series of different levels comprising of processes and activities take place.In most cases these constituents and processes or activities reflect the level of growth within the environment that needs the protection and caring in all ramifications (Kisembo, 2009).Some surface features are attributed to presence of hydrocarbons.They include escaping gas that cause underwater craters, oil seeps, pochmarks, and natural gas seeps.Exploration employs sophisticated methods and technology to establish presence and extent of hydrocarbons.Exploration geophysics is used where gravity survey is conducted in such areas shown to potentially have hydrocarbons (Lyatsky, 2010).Other procedures to detect clear features in regard to geology of the area are carried out.Further surveys are conducted on leads or what are termed as features of interest.It is after the prospect has been established which satisfies prospecting organization that an exploration well is dug (Omorodion, 2004).Le Voi (2002) affirm that the ecology of the Niger Delta has massively impacted by hydro carbon activity.Marine life has been adversely impacted by oil spills negatively affecting livelihoods of fishing communities in the area.There has also been deforestation to create room for more wells in oil exploration.This has negatively affected rainfall affecting farming and herding communities in the area.As the rest of the people in Nigeria and the world enjoy the benefits of oil from the Niger Delta, some of the people in the area suffer from conflicts fueled by frustrations, poverty, and deprivation.This explains occasional disruptions of oil exploration operations where affected residents blame government and oil corporations of mistreatment in spite of the colossal oil fortune generated from the area (Arce, 2004).Tullow, a British oil exploration firm has worked in Ethiopia and Uganda.In Uganda, the firm commenced its operations in 2006.It has