Page 29 - Environmental Control in Petroleum Engineering

CHAPTER 2

Drilling and

Production Operations

In the upstream petroleum industry, there are two major operations that
can potentially impact the environment: drilling and production. Both
operations generate a significant volume of wastes. Environmentally
responsible actions require an understanding of these wastes and how they
are generated. From this understanding, improved operations that minimize
or eliminate any adverse environmental impacts can be developed.
Drilling is the process in which a hole is made in the ground to
allow subsurface hydrocarbons to flow to the surface. The wastes
generated during drilling are the rock removed to make the hole (as
cuttings), the fluid used to lift the cuttings, and various materials added
to the fluid to change its properties to make it more suitable for use
and to condition the hole.
Production is the process by which hydrocarbons flow to the surface
to be treated and used. Water is often produced with hydrocarbons and
contains a variety of contaminants. These contaminants include dis-
solved and suspended hydrocarbons and other organic materials, as
well as dissolved and suspended solids. A variety of chemicals are also
used during production to ensure efficient operations.
During both drilling and production activities, a variety of air
pollutants are emitted. The primary source of air pollutants are the
emissions from internal combustion engines, with lesser amounts from
other operations, fugitive emissions, and site remediation activities.

2.1 DRILLING

The process of drilling oil and gas wells generates a variety of
different types of wastes. Some of these wastes are natural byproducts

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