Environmental Corner

2001 MMS SAFE Awards

The Minerals Management Service (MMS) recently announced the 2001 winners in its Safety Award for Excellence (SAFE) program. Winners are:

High Activity Category-ExxonMobil Corporation. ExxonMobil operated 122 facilities, producing more than 100 million BOE with a weighted INC/CI ratio of 0.03 (best in their category) and had an outstanding incident record. Exxon and Mobil have been national SAFE award winners a total of of 6 times, and this is their first award as a combined company.
Moderate Activity Category-Dominion Exploration and Production. Dominion has been a SAFE Award finalist consecutively for the past 4 years, one of only 2 companies to achieve this distinction. They were the national winner 3 years ago operating under the name "CNG." They had a best-in-class weighted INC/CI ratio of 0.01 and an outstanding incident record.
Drilling Contractor Category-Diamond Offshore. They had an extraordinary inspection record and an excellent incident record. They also won 3 District Safe Awards for 2001 as well as a Corporate Leadership Award for Willie Ard, supervisor on the Ocean Columbia.
Production Contractor Category-Danos & Curole Marine Contractors, Inc. They were the production contractor on platforms that were inspected 115 times during 2001. These platforms had an outstanding INC/Component ratio and incident record. This is their second consecutive National SAFE Award

For more information about MMS's awards program, visit their website (www.mms.gov/awards/).

DOE/BLM O&G Environmental Projects

Working together under a Memorandum of Understanding, DOE and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) have 11 environmental-related projects. Projects cover a broad spectrum, from air quality in Alaska to erosional problems in New Mexico's San Juan Basin to wildlife protection in Wyoming and Montana. The common theme for all projects is to identify both the elements from O&G development that may cause damage, and the specific environmental water, air, soil or wildlife parameters that require protection. DOE's participation ensures that energy needs are given consideration along with environmental protection. Brief descriptions of selected projects follow:

Methane Seepage Impact, San Juan Basin. This project addresses concerns about methane seepage at the Fruitland coal outcrop from coalbed methane (CBM) production and development. In general, results indicate, that although methane seepage has and will increase, surface impacts will be confined to outcrop areas.
Impact of CBM Surface Water on Soils, Powder River Basin. Most CBM produced water in the Powder River Basin is currently discharged on the surface and land application is one option. With land application, there are concerns over long-term salinization, sodicity and sedimentation. Field studies will evaluate soil and CBM water and chemical and physical parameters. Results will provide data regarding long-term impact of land application.
Brine Impact on Aquifers in Seminole County, Oklahoma. This project is exploring the effects of brine leakage from historic oil operations. Field samples from streams and rivers and water wells are being gathered and a gradient flow model of the aquifer has been developed. This data, plus O&G data (well locations, surface facilities, property map, etc.) are being incorporated in a GIS model. Modeling of the ground water flow will aid remediation and help prevent future damage to aquifers.

Excerpted from DOE's Eye on Environment newsletter, Winter 2002, which may be viewed online at www.npto.doe.gov/EOE/eyewin02.pdf.

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Water-Based Drilling Fluid in GOM

A new water-based drilling fluid developed by MI LLC has been employed in Gulf of Mexico (GOM) wells, both deepwater and on the shelf. With conventional water-based drilling fluids, typical problems include: screen blinding by unsheared polymer, rapid polymer depletion, high dilution rates and moderate inhibition. The new fluid system essentially eliminated these problems.

The new fluid was designed through a triple inhibition approach: shale hydration inhibition, shale dispersion inhibition and accretion inhibition. It contains five synergistic products, three of which were created specifically for the new system. Lab testing against oil-based mud and a 20% NaCl/PHPA fluid established that system performance was comparable to an oil-based drilling fluid and far superior to the water-based system.

To date, the system has been used in deepwater and shelf wells in the GOM, primarily in the shallower sections. Drilling performance comparisons show the rate of penetration is similar to synthetic-based systems used earlier, and 60-70% higher than conventional water-based fluids used previously in the targeted blocks.

Excerpted from article in IADC's Drilling Contractor, May/June 2002, p. 32-33. Full article may be viewed online at www.iadc.org/dcpi/dc-mayjune02/may2-mi.pdf.

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Early Alerts—Natural Gas STAR Workshop Oct. 28-30, Houston, TX

The Natural Gas STAR Program is gearing up for this year's Annual Implementation Workshop; scheduled to take place October 28-30, 2002 at The Intercontinental Hotel in Houston, Texas. In addition to the traditional topics, such as partner experiences and lessons learned, this year's workshop will focus on other natural gas industry and Natural Gas STAR program issues identified by partners.

Plans for this interactive workshop include sessions designed to promote emissions reductions, provide technical ideas and encourage innovation, and gather additional information necessary for program development. Partners should come ready to share their experiences, plus insights for improving the Natural Gas STAR program.

For further information, visit the program's website (www.epa.gov/gasstar/).

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Typhoon Cuttings Dryer for Offshore Cuttings Discharge

In the United States, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is setting discharge limits to 6.9% by weight or better for I/O synthetics, and 9.4% by weight or better for Esters. For several years, Apollo Services (now Baker Hughes INTEQ Apollo Services) has worked with industry developing technology and best management practices for drying discharged drilling cuttings, to reduce the impact of cuttings discharge and provide operators with a margin of safety versus discharge limits. Apollo's Typhoon separator, a high-volume throughput vertical centrifuge that takes significantly less rig space than other systems, dries cuttings up to 1% synthetic fluid on cuttings.

For more information, including performance comparisons with conventional shakers, visit Apollo's website (http://www.bakerhughes.com/inteq/Fluids/apollo_services/index.htm).

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Table of Contents	Vol. 8, No.2 2nd Quarter 2002