Introduction: Fossil energy development projects can induce widespread social changes, both anticipated and unforeseen, particularly in rural areas. Consequently, the social impacts of such projects in oil-rich countries have garnered increasing attention. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the social impacts of gas industry development— the Bidbeland-Shiraz gas pipeline—on the rural areas of Gachsaran and Basht counties in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province.
Method: This study employed a retrospective causal-comparative survey technique. The statistical sample of the research consisted of 207 household heads from two groups of villages; those with and those without gas development project. Participants were identified and selected using stratified sampling method with proportional allocation based on each village's population. Data were collected using a researcher-developed questionnaire. The questionnaire's face validity was assessed by a panel of academic experts, and its reliability was evaluated using Cronbach's alpha coefficient, which ranged from 0.58 to 0.88 across different sections. Data analysis was conducted by means of SPSS version 21, employing analysis of variance (ANOVA) and covariance (ANCOVA) tests.
Findings: The results indicate that in villages with access to gas industry development, demographic characteristics, health and safety, protection of collective resources, social capital, social welfare, and quality of life have improved. However, social structures such as customs, traditions, and social norms have weakened. In addition, the development of the gas industry in the studied region has positively impacted demographic status, health and safety, protection of collective resources, social capital, social welfare, and quality of life by 5.33%, 40%, 54.3%, 14%, 13%, and 8%, respectively. On the contrary, the development of the gas industry has had a negative impact of 23.6% on the social structure of the region studied.
Conclusion: It goes without saying that the development of the oil and gas industry brings significant changes to the lives of local communities. It means that social sustainability must not be overlooked during project implementation. Assessing the social impacts of such projects is a powerful and effective method. The findings of this study indicate that the development of the gas industry in rural areas has resulted in substantial changes. While some areas have experienced positive outcomes, the social structure of the village has been weakened. Therefore, this study concludes that the establishment of any development project in the oil and gas sector requires an appropriate social impact assessment.