The exploitation of natural resources lays the foundation for the economic and social development, but also is the root cause of various environmental issues. The study aims to analyze the process of natural resource exploitation, to optimize the extraction and utilization processes, maximizing their economic and social values while reducing the accompanied negative environmental impacts. This dissertation focuses on the impacts of exploitation of mineral and hydrocarbon resources in emerging countries on global warming effect, economy and society. Chapter 2 of the dissertation analyzes the life cycle GHG emissions associated with iron ore mining and processing in China. With rapid economic development and nationwide urbanization, the iron ore demand grows while the ore grade declines significantly, leading to the increasing GHG emissions from iron ore production. Results of the research show that the mean life-cycle GHG emissions for Chinese iron ore production are 270 kg CO2e/tonne, with a 90% confidence interval of 210 to 380 kg CO2e/tonne. The two largest contributors to overall GHG emissions are agglomeration (60%) and ore processing (23%). Iron content (ore grade) varies from 15% to 60% and is the largest contributor (40%) to the uncertainty of the results. Chapter 3 explores the impact of China’s outsourcing of iron resources on the global warming effect. This chapter applies the same life cycle assessment framework of Chinese iron ore in Chapter 2 to Australian and Brazilian ore production, and compares the LCA results of Australian and Brazilian ore to Chinese iron ore. Results show that among the three iron ore sources, Australian iron ore is the optimal choice for reducing GHG emissions. The mean life cycle GHG emissions of Australian iron ore fines is 60% less than that of Chinese iron ore fines (42 kg CO2e/tonne versus 110 kg CO2e/tonne). There is no significant difference between the imported iron ores sourced from Brazil versus the China’s domestic supplied iron ores, but if Chinese ore grade falls below 20% in the future, Brazilian iron ores would be preferred. The largest source of GHG emissions for Australian and Brazilian iron ores comes from ocean shipping (accounts for 58% and 75% of the overall GHG emissions respectively). Chapter 4 studies the impacts of the exploitation of pre-salt natural gas in Brazil. Natural gas production and its associated downstream industries are currently underdeveloped in Brazil, while the on-going exploitation of deep-sea pre-salt reservoir would potentially change the current situation. This study analyzes the impacts of the increasing pre-salt gas production and potential natural gas use pathways in downstream industries. Results reveal that GHG emissions associated with pre-salt gas production vary according to the stage of reservoir exploitation. At the early stage, the estimate of GHG emissions is 5.4 (90%CI: 4.5~6.4) gCO2e/MJ, and the value becomes 7.1 (90% CI: 6.3~8.0) gCO2e/MJ for the intermediate stage. All six natural gas use pathways analyzed in the study emit less GHG on average than their current corresponding incumbent pathways. The mean GHG emissions reduction from natural gas use for power generation, nitrogen fertilizer production, methanol production, as the reducing agent for steel making, ethylene-based polymer production, heavy-duty vehicle fueling are estimated to be 0.83, 2.3, 0.38, 35, 2.6 and 0.078 million tonnes CO2 equivalent per year, respectively. The specific economic profits of the six pathways are affected by the prices of natural gas and traditional fuel. Under current fuel prices, the net annual profits for the six pathways are -270, 87, 92, 1700, 190 and -1500 million dollars, respectively. The job creation potential from the pathways of power generation, nitrogen fertilizer production, methanol production and as reducing agent for steel production are estimated to be 28, 17, 5 and 36 thousand, respectively.

The offshore industry is full ascension in Brazil, driven by the discovery of light oil and rich gas abundant in the pre-salt layer. The explored natural gas in the pre-salt layer has superior calorific components, however it has H2S and CO2 (considered acid components) dissolved in its composition. The removal of such components is necessary still in the production field, seeking to fit the gas in the effective specifications for ANP - National Agency of the Petroleum. Nowadays the most used method to remove acid components from the extracted gas of the pre-salt layer is through amine plants. With that comes the need to know the process and to operate it in the most efficient possible way, treating the same amount of gas with the minimum cost. The need for research arises from the difficulty from FPSO Capixaba s operation part to maintain the specifications of the manufacturer s project (VME Process), as the concentration of the amine solvent, amount of treated fresh water and new amine daily added inside the system. To maintain the established project levels it was necessary superior addition both of solvent amine as treated fresh water, showing a removal of H2S and CO2 sometimes satisfactory sometimes not. So, the aim of this investigation was to propose the best possible point of operation for the amine plant in operation in FPSO Capixaba through a study case, between May of 2010 to June of 2012 and was built scatter plots based on historical data to find the ideal concentration that the system operates with the best efficiency on H2S and CO2 removal, using minimum daily addition of amine and treated fresh water. The results were confronted with specifying it in projects and applied, resulting in an economy in order 75,8% amine and 76% of treated fresh water monthly, maintaining the treated gas in the system between of the specifications and effective standards in Brazil. A statistic technique of multiple regressions was built for the study of relationship between the water/amine concentration and of H2S and CO2. It was obtained a total of samples of 245 days for amine concentration (classified as dependent variable) and an equation that esteemed it relationship was built with CO2 and H2S concentration (considered independent variables). The results obtained in the model indicate a good relationship in the estimators studied (R2(adjusted) = 0,8051) and a standard error of 0,029. / A indústria offshore encontra-se em plena ascensão no Brasil, impulsionada pela descoberta de óleo leve e gás rico, abundantes na camada pré-sal. O gás natural explorado na camada pré-sal possui componentes caloríficos superiores, porém possui H2S e CO2 (considerados componentes ácidos) dissolvido em sua composição. A remoção de tais componentes se faz necessária ainda no campo de produção, visando enquadrar o gás nas especificações vigentes pela ANP Agência Nacional do Petróleo. Atualmente o método mais utilizado na remoção de componentes ácidos no gás extraído da camada pré-sal é através de plantas de amina. Com isso surge a necessidade em conhecer o processo e operá-lo da maneira mais eficiente possível, tratando a mesma quantidade de gás com o menor custo. A necessidade da pesquisa surge da dificuldade por parte da operação do FPSO Capixaba para manter as especificações de projeto do fabricante (VME Process), quanto à concentração da amina solvente, quantidade de água tratada e amina nova inserida diariamente no sistema. Para manter os níveis estabelecidos em projeto se fazia necessário à adição muito superior tanto de amina solvente quanto de água tratada, apresentando uma remoção de H2S e CO2 horas satisfatória horas não. Assim o objetivo desta investigação foi propor o ponto de operação melhor possível para a planta de amina em operação no FPSO Capixaba através de um estudo de caso, tendo como base o período de Maio de 2010 até Junho de 2012 e, para isso utilizouse a construção de gráficos de dispersão baseado em dados históricos para encontrar a concentração ideal em que o sistema opera com a melhor eficiência com relação a remoção de H2S e CO2, menor adição de amina e água tratada diariamente. Os resultados foram confrontados com o especificando em projetos e aplicados no processo, resultando em uma economia na ordem 75,8% amina e 76% de água tratada mensalmente, mantendo o gás tratado no sistema dentro das especificações e normas vigentes no Brasil. Foi construído um modelo de regressão múltipla para estudo da relação entre a concentração de água/amina e a concentração de H2S e CO2. Obteve-se um total de amostras de 245 dias para concentração de amina (classificada como variável dependente) e buscou-se uma equação que estimasse a sua relação com a concentração de CO2 e H2S (consideradas variáveis independentes). Os resultados obtidos no modelo indicam uma boa relação nos estimadores estudados (R2(ajustado)= 0,8051) e um erro padrão de 0,029.