Vermicomposting and Best Available Technique for Oily Drilling Waste Management in Environmentally Sensitive Areas

Vermicomposting and Best Available Technique for Oily Drilling Waste Management in Environmentally Sensitive Areas John E. Paulsen; John E. Paulsen Statoil Norway Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google Scholar Jonathan Getliff; Jonathan Getliff M-I SWACO Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google Scholar Roald Sørheim Roald Sørheim Norwegian Centre for Soil and Environmental Research Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google Scholar Paper presented at the SPE International Conference on Health, Safety, and Environment in Oil and Gas Exploration and Production, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, March 2004. Paper Number: SPE-86730-MS https://doi.org/10.2118/86730-MS Published: March 29 2004 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Twitter LinkedIn Get Permissions Search Site Citation Paulsen, John E., Getliff, Jonathan, and Roald Sørheim. "Vermicomposting and Best Available Technique for Oily Drilling Waste Management in Environmentally Sensitive Areas." Paper presented at the SPE International Conference on Health, Safety, and Environment in Oil and Gas Exploration and Production, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, March 2004. doi: https://doi.org/10.2118/86730-MS Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Reference Manager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentAll ProceedingsSociety of Petroleum Engineers (SPE)SPE International Conference and Exhibition on Health, Safety, Environment, and Sustainability Search Advanced Search AbstractOil and gas exploration into areas of increasing environmental sensitivity require justification of selected Best Available Technique (BAT), including drilling waste disposal. The BAT should also reflect a most responsible technique.In sensitive areas offshore Northern Norway discharge of drill cuttings is a controversial issue. Improvements in bulk handling techniques are expected to allow wastes to be quickly and safely returned to shore for treatment. If the cuttings are not injected into subsurface formations offshore, then thermal treatment is one option. However, such plants require considerable capital investment or transportation of the cuttings over long distances to the next plant. While bioremediation may not be the obvious choice for waste treatment in arctic climates, the use of benign fluids designed to facilitate bioremediation can greatly increase process rates and facilitate recycling of the waste. Field trials show that vermicomposting is fit for this purpose.Vermicomposting uses worms to remediate the cuttings converting them in to a compost type material that can be used as a soil enhancer or fertilizer. This paper considers a technique that not only cleans the cuttings, but also adds value, converting them into a valuable resource.The results of a study into the feasibility of vermicomposting in Northern Norway provide data for discussing the efficiency and practicality of the technique, while the results of analytical tests and plant growth studies demonstrate the quality and beneficial properties of the product.Acknowledging that this concept transforms a waste into a fertilizer, it may be argued that this is an attractive waste minimization technique that requires low energy inputs and leaves no environmentally compromising residues.IntroductionWith the Norwegian North Sea moving ever closer to a "zero discharge" regime a number of novel technologies are being developed to meet the requirements of a zero discharge environment. These technologies not only reduce the waste generated at the well site, but will also convert them into useful resources and thus minimize wastes still further.The interpretation of a zero discharge requirement and how to achieve an effective protection of the environment as a whole is subject to continuous debate. Some of the current confusion relates to the challenge of using BAT while at the same time complying with a zero discharge requirement. This needs to be clarified, both in terms of reference and the logical structure of the reasoning. A BAT for drilling waste disposal, as interpreted by Statoil, should apply a life cycle assessment approach1. Briefly explained, the consequence of this is that it may be argued that in some cases the best solution, or a preferred compromise holistically, is to discharge some of the waste under the given circumstances. The question of whether or not a literally zero discharge to sea is a generally sound solution thus needs to be addressed.The US EPA approach for offshore Gulf of Mexico, as outlined in the 40 CFR Part 4352, concludes that holistically the best solution is to use synthetic drilling fluids and discharge the waste, assuming that the drilling fluids and the waste complies with specific acceptance criteria. Thus, for the Gulf of Mexico, the benefits of these discharges are considered to outweigh the counterpart, bringing the waste to shore (zero discharge). For application offshore Norway, ecological tests indicate that use of non-aromatic base oils may have a lower environmental impact than the use of synthetic base oils3. The IPPC Directive4, which outlines acceptance criteria for how to derive at a BAT to be used in the EU countries, also rests on the holistic principle. When the Directive enters into force operators on the Norwegian sector may have to comply with a BAT expectation. Either way, a zero discharge regime must be linked to intelligible and quantifiable risk reducing benefits prominent to the specific area. Which compromise is considered the most responsible, as reflected by different regulations is apparently subject to different interpretations.The Statoil response to a BAT solution in drilling waste management is the TFM methodology5. This methodology rests on a consistent; life cycle assessment (LCA) based waste minimisation strategy. Keywords: windrow, worm, waste management, hydrocarbon, criteria, norway, worm bed, discharge, drilling fluid, fertilizer Subjects: Environment, Waste management This content is only available via PDF. 2004. Society of Petroleum Engineers You can access this article if you purchase or spend a download.

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