Page 157 - Environmental Control in Petroleum Engineering

CHAPTER 5

Planning for

Environmental

Protection

Many operations in the petroleum exploration and production indus-
try have the potential to impact the environment in some way. Because
of the high costs of noncompliance with the numerous regulations
governing the industry and the high costs associated with the loss of
public trust for damaging the environment, substantial resources must
be dedicated to minimizing environmental impact. Because industry
resources are limited, comprehensive environmental protection plans,
including waste management and contingency plans, are needed to
optimize the use of those resources.
One of the first steps in developing environmental protection plans
is to conduct an environmental audit to identify all of the waste
streams at a particular site and to determine whether those waste
streams are being handled in compliance with all applicable regula-
tions. Once an audit has been conducted, a written waste management
plan for managing each waste stream should be developed. These plans
identify how each waste stream is to be handled, stored, transported,
treated, and disposed. The plan should also indicate how records are
to be kept. Contingency plans are needed to minimize the impacts of
accidental releases of materials and should incorporate relevant emer-
gency responses. Several benefits of environmental audits and waste
management plans are that they:
1. Ensure compliance with applicable environmental laws and
regulations at a reasonable cost.
2. Minimize environmental damage from operations.

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