Impact of the Oil Industry in the Changes of the Qualitative Parameters in the Waters of River Gjanica

Gjanica River emanates from Shpiragu Mountain and it has got a length of 70 km, with a catchment basin of 234.07 km2. Its flow is characterized from big changes, during different seasons of the year, as well as multi-year period. They range from 0.146 to 124 m3/sec. In its valley are installed the two refineries that Albania has today in function, Ballshi Oil Refinery and the Fier Oil Refinery. Also along the shore of the river are stretching the two most important sources of crude oil extraction, Visoka and Ballesh. At a length of 41 km, starting from Ballshi until the meeting with the river Seman in Fier, are concentrated all industrial and urban emissions that influence in its pollution, meanwhile changing the physico-chemical nature of these waters until the destruction of the fauna and flora in it. It is estimated that every month the river Gjanica are discharged about 13 000 to 18 000 m3 [12] of liquid waste containing hydrocarbons, industrial chemicals and oils.Keywords: river, contaminated water, physic-chemical parameters, oil industry, hydrocarbons