Development of Enhanced Framework for Sustainable Oil and Gas Pipeline Infrastructure Projects in Niger Delta region of Nigeria

This study aims to develop an enhanced framework for improving the sustainability of oil and gas pipeline infrastructure projects in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria by identifying and integrating critical success factors and examining their interrelationships using Interpretive Structural Modelling (ISM). A quantitative research design was adopted using a structured survey approach. Data were collected from 244 respondents drawn from a population of approximately 500 stakeholders, including project managers, engineers, contractors, consultants, regulatory agencies, and host community representatives across Rivers, Delta, Bayelsa, and Akwa Ibom States. The sample size was determined using the Taro Yamane formula, and stratified random sampling was applied to ensure balanced representation across stakeholder groups. Data were collected using a validated Likert-scale questionnaire and analyzed through ISM to establish the hierarchical relationships among ten identified CSFs: project planning and design effectiveness (F1), stakeholder engagement and communication (F2), environmental management practices (F3), risk management strategies (F4), regulatory compliance and institutional support (F5), financial availability and management (F6), technical expertise and human capacity (F7), technology adoption and innovation (F8), security and pipeline protection systems (F9), and supply chain and logistics efficiency (F10). The ISM results revealed a multi-level structure where security and pipeline protection systems (F9) emerged as the strongest driving factor, while environmental management (F3) and supply chain efficiency (F10) were identified as key outcome variables. Intermediate factors such as technical expertise, planning, financial capacity, regulatory compliance, stakeholder engagement, risk management, and technology adoption were found to mediate the relationship between foundational drivers and sustainability outcomes. The study concludes that sustainability in oil and gas pipeline infrastructure projects is a hierarchical and interdependent system driven primarily by security and pipeline protection mechanisms. It further establishes that improvements in sustainability outcomes depend on strengthening foundational drivers, particularly security, before addressing operational and outcome-level factors. The study recommends that policymakers and industry stakeholders prioritize robust security frameworks as the entry point for sustainability enhancement, while simultaneously strengthening technical capacity, institutional support, financial systems, and stakeholder engagement to ensure long-term environmental and operational performance of pipeline infrastructure in the Niger Delta