Domestic Waste Treatment in the Offshore Environment
Authors: Martin James C. , Schmidt Richard K. 
Published: October 2008

In recent years a trend towards increasingly specific and stringent waste treatment requirements for liquid waste discharges of all kinds has been evidenced. Incoping with the demands of the public for a reduction and control of water pollution, the legislative authorities of most state, local, federal and international jurisdictions have enacted laws and made provisions for their enforcement to eliminate or control discharges of sanitary wastes to the environment. Several such laws specify waste treatment requirements for Offshore Producers.

It is the purpose of the above titled paper to discuss in detail the treatment of domestic wastes in the offshore environment and to deal specifically with those idiosyncrasies of such treatment which create unique problems requiring unique solutions. The general format of the paper provides coverage of the following aspects of offshore waste treatment:Incentives for treatment of domestic wastes from both' a legal and ecological viewpoint are stated factually and concisely.Unique Problems encountered in offshore waste treatment on both fixed and movable structures are defined and analyzed. Specific characterization of domestic waste flows, strengths, and fluctuations are reduced to reasonable per capita design criteria for various types of installations. Problems relating to the application of existing waste treatment equipment in the extreme environmental conditions found offshore are discussed.Existing Waste Treatment Technology applicable to offshore treatment is discussed in a comprehensive overview. Theoretical and practical design and operational procedures for several of the most popular treatment modes are discussed in detail.Proper Operation and Maintenance schedules are established along with a serious discussion of operator training.Conclusions reached are that technically adequate solutions to most Waste treatment problems encountered in the offshore production industry do exist. However, to make such solutions entirely satisfactory, careful attention to assure that optimum use is made of each is a necessity. The objective of all those concerned should be adequate waste treatment at a minimum expenditure of resources.

INTRODUCTION

In recent years a trend towards increasingly specific and stringent waste treatment requirements for liquid waste discharges of all kinds has been evidenced. In coping with the demands of the public for a reduction and control of water pollution, the legislative authorities of many local, state, Federal, and international jurisdictions have enacted laws and made provision for their enforcement to eliminate or control discharges of sanitary wastes to the environment. Several such laws specify waste treatment requirements for Offshore Producers.

It is the objective of this paper to discuss the treatment of domestic wastes in the offshore environment and to deal specifically with those idiosyncrasies of such treatment which create unique problems requiring unique solutions. The topic will be limited to special handling and treatment techniques for domestic waste effluents from fixed structures located in offshore waters.