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Estimation Of Drilling Wastes – An Environmental Concern While Drilling Oil And Gas Wells
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CHAPTER ONE
FORMULATION OF PROBLEM
1.1 Problem Definition
Petroleum
is among the world’s most important natural resources. It is the most
significant and highly traded primary commodity in the international
market (Illedare, et al., 1999) and has remained the world’s primary
source of energy for both industrial and domestic applications since
replacing coal early in this century. However, the finding and
production of petroleum involves the generation of drilling waste which
forms a major source of pollution in oil producing environment. Almost
every process in the finding and production of petroleum generates
wastes which impacts the environment negatively. Until 1980’s, little or
no thought was given to the generation and disposal of cuttings and
excess drilling fluids. Typically, these materials were discharged
overboard in offshore operations or buried when drilling in land-based
locations. The global environmental awareness in the late 1980s to early
1990s made the oil and gas industry and its regulators to understand
and appreciate the potential environmental impact of drilling waste
(Geehan, et al, 2000).
In an effort to manage and reduce the impact
of drilling waste on the environment, a number of technologies and
publications have been written. Technologies such as directional
drilling, slim-hole drilling, coil-tubing drilling and pneumatic
drilling are few of the drilling practices that generates less amount of
drilling waste. A number of drilling waste management plans and
programs have also been designed by different companies and researchers.
Drilling waste management refers to ways by which drilling and
associated wastes could be handled effectively in order to minimize
their effect on the environment. Wastes that are usually associated with
drilling operations are: - drill cuttings, contaminated drilling fluids
and additives, gaseous contaminants from internal combustion engines,
produced water as well as heavy metals. The principal aim of waste
management is to ensure that waste does not contaminate the environment
at such a rate or in such a form or quantity as to overload natural
assimilative processes. Eliminating or minimizing waste generation is
crucial, not only to reduce environmental liabilities but also
operational cost (Richards, 2007). The waste hierarchy is a common waste
management technique that has been reported in a number of literatures.
This refers to the "3 Rs" Reduce, Reuse and Recycle, which classify
waste management strategies according to their desirability in terms of
waste minimization (Anon [a], 2011). However, this technique is not
extensive enough. Before the waste hierarchy is effectively applied, it
is desirable to identify, classify and estimate the quantity or the
volume of waste to be generated. An effective waste management technique
must incorporate all these factors.
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ABSRACT - [ Total Page(s): 1 ]ABSTRACTDespite its numerous benefits the search and production of crude oil poses a lot of dangers to the environment. Among these include land, water and air pollution. Prominent among the major sources of E&P waste is drilling operations which form the second largest source of waste after production activities. The major drilling wastes are drill cuttings, drilling mud and obnoxious gas emissions. These wastes are introduced into the environment through intentional as well as accidental disch ... Continue reading---
