Oilfield waste disposal control
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
1-1-2016
Abstract
The purpose of this chapter is to provide reader with understanding how Environmental Control Technology (ECT) relates to the oilfield waste disposal in regard to the defined boundary between the process and environment – introduced in Chap. 2. By this concept, the spent stream of materials from the process can be permanently disposed of within the process boundaries by internal recycling and containment methods so it is never released to the environment. Therefore, the techniques of oilfield pit closure onsite, and in situ annular/subsurface injection of slurries to wells – described in this chapter – become part of oilfield ECT. The chapter describes typical pit contaminants and their potential environmental impact that makes the design of the pit closures process depended upon contaminant concentration in the liquid and solid phases of pit content and the amount of land soil mass associated with the well site. The alternative technique to pit closure by land farming is the injection of the slurryfied pit content into the well annulus or a designated non-producing oil well. Described is the geo-mechanical mechanism of placing slurry in highly-permeable and low/non-permeable formations, periodic injections with multiple fracturing, and some environmental implications of these techniques.
Publication Source (Journal or Book title)
Environmental Technology in the Oil Industry
First Page
167
Last Page
198
Recommended Citation
Wojtanowicz, A. (2016). Oilfield waste disposal control. Environmental Technology in the Oil Industry, 167-198. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-24334-4_5