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Google Earth Engine for an Analyze of Land Use and Land Cover within an Oil Block in the Ecuadorian Amazon

Abstract:

The Ecuadorian Amazon stands out for its biodiversity and contribution to global climate regulation. However, it faces environmental challenges as a resource base for the country's development. This research aims to analyze land use and land cover (LULC) changes within an oil block using satellite imagery to identify disturbances in the forest caused by oil-related activities. Sentinel-2 satellite products were retrieved from the Google Earth Engine catalogue and categorized into five LULC classes, quantified in ArcGIS Pro. The results revealed a predominance of agricultural lands (69.62%). Nevertheless, access roads and human settlements linked to the oil industry led to the emergence of urban areas near El Coca (4.29%). Exposed soil (5.37%) corresponds to sedimentation from the Coca River linked to upstream operations at the hydroelectric plant. The present methodology is proposed as a tool for environmental assessments in ecologically sensitive areas.