bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Holistic Environmental Assessment of Oil and Gas Field Development
Authors: Salter E. R. E. , Ford J. T. 
Published: December 2007

Abstract
Many organisations, such as the British Medical Association, European Oilfield Speciality Chemicals Association, the Royal Ministry of Petroleum and Energy (Norway) and Shell Expro, now recognise that a holistic approach is essential to assess total environmental risk. This paper presents a study that has developed a new life-of-field, goal orientated process of analysis called Holistic Environmental Assessment (HEA). HEA assesses the total environmental risk associated with a proposed oil and gas field development. It prioritises environmental risks and identifies cost effective strategies to reduce them. For the first time the process was applied to a real ‘case study’ field development programme, X Field in UKCS Block 22/12, to test its effectiveness. The application identified that HEA is a useful tool to help design eco-efficient and cost-effective oil and gas field developments. Furthermore, it was discovered that much of the information required by HEA could be obtained in a quick and user-friendly format. The authors propose that HEA would be effective as a software tool to analyse different environmental risk management systems. This would facilitate the identification of a system that steers an operator towards the triple bottom line of Sustainable Development. A guidance document detailing the HEA method and its application is available from the authors.
Development of Environmental Operational Controls for Risk Minimization and Environmental Clearance for Onshore Drilling Operations
Authors: Khan Francois 
Published: December 2007

Abstract
With the advent of new environmental legislation in Trinidad and Tobago, all industrial and commercial development activity will require a Certificate of Environmental Clearance (CEC). The Environmental Management Authority (EMA) which is the environmental regulatory agency in Trinidad can request an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) if it deems necessary when considering an application for a CEC.
The CEC application process will pose great challenges for the petroleum exploration and production industry where activity levels correlate with fluctuations in crude prices. The application process can take months depending on the scope of the project and there are significant costs in conducting an EIA. This problem is compounded by the fact that most onshore drilling takes place in mature and marginal fields. Operators cannot tolerate excessive and expensive environmental assessments, mitigation costs and equipment downtime. A combination of these problems can result in postponement or cancellation drilling programs.
As part of Petrotrin's drive towards ISO 14001 EMS certification for its exploration and production operations, the Exploration and Production HSE Department in conjunction with the Drilling Department has identified all environmental aspects, potential impacts, and developed environmental operational controls for onshore drilling operations. These controls were developed through a risk assessment process and are integrated into drilling operations through policies, training and regular audits.
The project management team realized that environmental operational controls will not only have benefits such as risk reduction, but can potentially lend assistance towards reducing delays in obtaining environmental clearance for development programs.
This paper describes the risk assessment process by which Petrotrin developed policy environmental operational controls for its onshore drilling programs, the use of these controls to minimize risk, and the novel approach the company is taking in using them for obtaining environmental clearance.
Challenges in Developing Occupational Health Services in an Oil & Gas Company in Malaysia
Authors: Jaya M. Sharkawi 
Published: December 2007

Abstract
In the management of Health Safety Environment (HSE), emphasis is usually placed on safety due to its immediate and great visual impact when accidents happen. This immediate great visual impact generates keen media interest. Occupational illness and related death, on the other hand, tend to develop slowly and surreptitiously and many remained undiagnosed. This being the case, they do not generate great media interest and consequently remain overshadowed by safety issues. It is therefore, crucial that health be consciously addressed in the management of HSE. The development of occupational health services is to be in line with the HSE Policy statement of the organization as well as taking into consideration industry practice and statutory requirements of the country. As for safety, top management commitment is a pre-requisite to the success of occupational health management. Health risk assessment determines the required occupational health program. Standards for this can be adopted from local laws and or industry or international codes. Successful implementation of occupational health program requires competent personnel that are scarce making it one of the biggest challenges in Malaysia. For PETRONAS, a network of Regional Occupational Health Advisers (ROHAs) was developed to serve and coordinate occupational health service for all the regions in the country and is supported by the Regional Industrial Hygienists (RIHAs). Each Operating Unit develops a team of health risk assessors and hygiene technicians. To conduct medical examinations and surveillance, a group of Approved Medical Examiners (AMEs) are also appointed. All the ROHAs and AMEs are required to be trained in occupational health.
Present Working Environment Conditions and Measures of Improvement in Vietnam Petroleum Industry
Authors: Linh Ho Xuan , Hanh Vo Van 
Published: December 2007

Abstract
Petroleum industry plays an important role in Vietnam economy, attracting a large quantity of manpower. Almost of enterprises and companies are holding a large number of high technology equipment. However, several workers are still working with manually controlled equipment. Especially many of jobs are still involved with harsh and toxic working environment. Therefore, the requirements to improve working environment, laborer health and to prevent occupational diseases are important and urgent duty in petroleum industry.
Petroleum industry is a wide field with many complex processes and advanced technologies. Petroleum industry mainly includes the following areas: exploration, drilling and production, transport and storage, processing and distribution. Together with these main fields are technical services, transportation, chemical production and technological science research and development activities. Generally, with direct – producing companies, in most stages, laborers are exposed to hazards threatening their health such as heat, noise, heat stress, harmful radiation, weather changes, toxic gases releases, dust, vibration, water pressure (on diving) etc… especially with specific work as diving, drilling, well geophysics measurement, well work over. Besides, hazards of petroleum such as gas release, blowout, oil spill etc. are always possible occurring and, if there are no appropriate preventive measures, they could lead to serious accidents.
Working conditions in Petroleum industry is very multiform and different in each companies/ enterprises. The workplaces, which satisfy working environment requirements, are normally offices, research departments, laboratories etc. However, in most production sites in Petroleum industry there are still many problems that need to be solved to improve working conditions for laborers such as noise, vibration, heat, dust preventive measures, ventilation system and domestic water supply.
A new Approach Towards Environmentally Friendly Desulfurization
Authors: Knudsen B. , Tjelle S. , Linga H. 
Published: December 2007

Abstract
Desulfurization of natural gas by use of scavenger technology is widely used because the gas specification can be achieved with low investment costs (equipment) and moderate chemical cost. However the technology has an environmental challenge. The discharge of chemicals from the offshore installations has been given more attention the last past years, and Statoil is now working to implement "zero-discharge of environmentally harmful components". The discharge of the scavenger is the main contributor to the environmental risk at several Statoil operated fields, and it is of importance to reduce this risk. Statoil has established a project which has the object to reduce the environmental risk caused by H2S removal from the gas. In this project there has been focused on two strategies a) reduction of the chemical consumption and b) new environmentally friendly technology. The project has been a co-operation between the Dynea Oil Field Chemicals, Framo Purification and US Filter/Zimpro.
Bongkot Floating Storage and Offloading Facility Mercury Contaminated Wastewater Treatment and Disposal
Authors: Soponkanabhorn Teerapon , Keeling Anthony John 
Published: December 2007

Abstract
Mercury occurs, sometimes, naturally in the reservoirs that produce hydrocarbon products (gas, condensate and oil). Elemental mercury and the compounds of mercury are present, in small quantities, in the gas and condensate produced from the Bongkot Field that is operated by PTT Exploration and Production Public Company Limited. As a result many sections of the process facilities may become contaminated with a sludge that contains small amounts of mercury and its compounds.
Mercury is a toxic substance that can cause acute or chronic effects depending upon the exposure pattern and can also enter the biological food chain. Risk of exposure to mercury must therefore be strictly controlled and wastes contaminated with mercury disposed of in the appropriate manner. The impact on the environment must be minimized, consistant with national regulation and international best practice.
Mercury is characterized by a great affinity to organic matter, and thus can become biomagnified in the marine food chain. One unit of concentration in water can lead to 106 units in fish. Thus species at the top of the food chain (including humans) may be susceptible to the toxic effects of mercury.
In order to prevent personnel exposure written procedures are in place, periodically reviewed and updated as necessary. Personnel are made familiar with the procedures through training sessions and information. A medical surveillance program is in place for all personnel who may be exposed to mercury.
Technologically Enhanced Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material Associated with Sulfate Reducing Bacteria Biofilms in a Large Seawater Injection System
Authors: Bird A. F. , Rosser H. R. , Worrall M. E. , Mously K. A. , Fageeha O. I. 
Published: December 2007

Abstract
Saudi Aramco operates the world's largest seawater injection system to support oil production from the Ghawar field in eastern Saudi Arabia. Seawater (55,000 mg/L TDS) is drawn from the Arabian Gulf into a large seawater treatment plant where it is chlorinated, filtered and deoxygenated. The treated seawater is shipped via 3 large diameter (60 inch ID) carbon steel pipelines to the first booster pump station 100 km inland, where it is further distributed to injection wells across the Ghawar field.
Two of the large diameter pipelines are internally bare. These lines are mechanically cleaned (scraped) and treated with biocide to control the accumulation of biofouling deposits, which have been shown to have a significant impact on corrosion and injection water quality. The composition of these biofouling/corrosion deposits is primarily biomass and iron sulfide, resulting from activity of sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) in the oxygen-free seawater pipeline environment. The third pipeline is internally coated with Fusion Bonded Epoxy (FBE) and is not scraped. It does, however, receive the same biocide treatment as the uncoated pipelines.
Our analyses have shown that many trace metals, including elemental uranium, are co-deposited with iron sulfide within SRB pipewall biofilms in the two internally bare pipelines and to a lesser extent in FBE coated pipe. Although present in seawater in the low-ppb range, uranium has been detected in pipewall deposits scraped from these lines, in on-plot piping and in solids recovered during injection well backflows, at concentrations up to 1.86 wt%, with corresponding Total α+β activity levels exceeding 10,000 pCi/g – sufficient to warrant consideration as technologically enhanced naturally occurring radioactive material (TE-NORM). Other co-deposited metals include chromium, manganese, copper, nickel, vanadium, titanium and niobium. Our findings suggest that accumulation of these metals is mediated by the activity of metal-reducing bacteria in the pipewall biofilms, which convert the metals from their oxidized soluble forms to reduced insoluble forms in the anaerobic pipeline environment. Accumulation of uranium mediated by SRB within the biofouling deposits results in the development of a microbially-enhanced naturally occurring radioactive material ("ME-NORM").
This paper discusses (1) seawater treatment processes (2) pipeline scraping solids composition (3) comparison of NORM levels in pipeline scraping solids, on plot piping, and in water injection well backflow solids (4) trace metal deposition by specific microbial populations within the pipewall biofilms and (5) oilfield worker safety and contamination control procedures.
Sustainability Indicators on Environmental, Social and Economic Performance: A Proposal for the Brazilian Oil Industry
Authors: Amaral Sergio Pinto 
Published: December 2007

Abstract
The use of sustainability indicators for environmental, social and economic performance evaluation in organisations is a novel subject in Brazil and throughout the world. Normally companies, in a general way, do not accept the use of sustainable-development indicators and concepts for management of their activities, products and services. Indicators are used to measure or compare actual conditions with reference conditions. Indicators can be descriptive and normative. Set up in 1997, the Brazilian Entrepreneurial Council for Sustainable Development (CEBDS), which is linked to the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) and has around 62 associate member companies, has been introducing and disseminating practices and concepts such as eco-efficiency, designed to improve the sustainability of companies. A key member of CEBDS, Petrobras – the Brazilian state-owned oil company, supports its activities and works together with it in some projects. Some international oil companies are using sustainability indicators in projects or activities in determined areas or countries, but this is not a systematic approach. Examples of potential contribution areas for sustainability indicators are the efficient use of energy and natural resources and reduction of emissions (in the environmental area), maximisation of social benefits of business and involvement of interested parties (in the social area), and maximisation of economic benefits of business and inclusion of social criteria in the business decision-making process (in the economic area). In the last few years, Petrobras has been using practices which can be related to the concept of sustainable development, such as financing environmental conservation projects in areas directly or indirectly related to its operations, developing environmental education programs, and publishing corporate reports on social responsibility. The purpose of this paper is to propose a well balanced set of indicators for sustainability – segregated by areas environmental, social and economic or integrated – that can be used either by the Brazilian or the international oil industry.
Integrating Decision Support Tools for a More Sustainable Industry
Authors: Beloff Beth , Schwarz Jeanette , Beaver Earl 
Published: December 2007

Abstract
In business and government, there is much agreement that sustainable development should be pursued; yet there is little understanding of how to operationalize sustainability. Further, there is a lack of accepted methods to assess an organization's progress toward this important goal. If the goal of sustainability is to be incorporated into management decision-making, indicators of progress are needed which take into consideration the environmental, economic and social impacts that an organization's processes, products and services generate.
This paper will present an integrated set of decision support tools for evaluating products and processes in terms of sustainability, setting goals for improvement and tracking progress toward sustainable practices. The tools have been refined through piloting in companies, principally in the petrochemical industry. They include the Sustainability Screen, Sustainability Metrics, Limited Life Cycle Inventory, Total Cost Assessment, Facility Design Optimization and Practical Minimum Energy Requirements. The greatest power in use of these tools comes in their combination. Examples of this will be highlighted, such as the integration of sustainability metrics with life cycle analysis and total cost assessment.
Maintenance Management of Essential Safety Systems
Authors: Johansen Jan-Arne , Toennessen Njaal 
Published: December 2007

Abstract
The ability of essential safety systems to function in an emergency situation is critical for how the initial event develops. The condition to the gas detectors, shut down systems, ESD valves, etc. is normally maintained and verified through the function tests included in the preventive maintenance (PM) program. However, the integrity (availability) of the safety system is difficult to quantify without a systematic collection of data. This can be a time consuming process if individual integrity requirements are assigned to equipment level of the safety systems.
Phillips Petroleum Company Norway has together with Det Norske Veritas developed a practical and simplified methodology for assessing the availability of essential safety systems. The methodology uses existing test programs as a basis for defining functional and integrity requirements. Existing test programs are designed to verify the main function of the system, and integrity requirements are assigned to the highest practical level. This reduces the number of systems and requirements that need to be followed up, and emphasis is kept on the safety system as a barrier, rather than at the individual sub-system and equipment integrity level.
The practical approach allows active participation from offshore personnel in the process of defining system requirements. The number of data to be reported from the tests is kept at a minimum level, which will lighten the implementation of the process offshore.
The integrity of essential safety systems will be monitored (trended) regularly and results from the tests will be visualised in a way that increases the focus around these systems. The increased focus and understanding of the importance of these systems are expected to enhance the safety culture offshore, and resulting in more reliable safety systems and a reduced risk level.
Development and Use of an Advanced Offshore Crane Simulator: A Tool to Improve Safety in Crane and Lifting Operations
Authors: Botnevik R. , Midtgaard A. 
Published: December 2007

Abstract
Promoting safety during crane and lifting operations represents a well-known challenge. Loading and unloading of critical supplies to offshore installations take place day and night, often during harsh weather conditions. Human factors and working practice show up as major underlying causes for crane and lifting accidents in the North Sea. Two major safety initiatives have been launched by Statoil, aiming particularly at these causes:
The company Best Practice was developed through a process seeking the involvement and ownership of line management and operating personnel from 15 large offshore installations, as well as input from supply boat crew, logistics base personnel, drilling personnel and engineering resources.
The crane simulator was developed to facilitate better training and sharing of the company Best Practice. Realistic crane operations are simulated on a range of installation concepts. The simulator handles movement of the installation, the crane, the cargo and the supply vessel, as well as changes in wind, waves and visibility. All normal crane operations can be simulated. This also applies to critical and emergency situations. The simulator is interfaced with a ship simulator to allow for simultaneous and realistic training for platform and supply vessel crew.
After a full year's use of the simulator and one and a half year's use of Best Practice, the experiences are very promising. The positive trend of the safety results associated with crane and lifting operations has accelerated, and a significant improvement has been achieved over a short period of time.
Environmental Regulations and Measures on the Norwegian Continental Shelf
Authors: Svalheim Stig M. 
Published: December 2007

Abstract
The Norwegian authorities aim to help Norway combine her role as a major petroleum producer with the role of being a leader in environmental protection. This paper evaluates whether or not the Norwegian upstream sector has achieved this ambitious environmental goal. Regulations, emission reducing technologies, emissions trends and international comparisons are described. The paper also evaluates how the attractiveness of the Norwegian shelf, as part of the global oil-and gas market, is affected by these environmental regulations.
Environmental Impact Assessment – Malaysia Perspectives
Authors: Foo S. M. , Yusoff M Radzuan 
Published: December 2007

Abstract
Since the introduction of Environment Quality Act in 1974, some 23 related regulations have been gazetted (including the Environmental Quality (Prescribed Premises) (Environmental Impact Assessment) Order 1987) which have provided a profound regulatory framework in the shaping of the environmental protection and conservation landscape of Malaysia. This paper attempts to elaborate on this evolution from environmental philosophies and principles to regulatory framework and how these processes have transformed the ways industries managed the environment in order to face up to the challenges in a fast developing country like Malaysia. The highlight will be in the development of the EIA Order 1987 and its related guidelines for the petroleum industries with special emphasis for the E & P sector. As it is written, insights into scope and technical requirements of EIA and the approval processes will be transcribed as the main body of the paper. Experiences gained and benefits of conducting the EIA in project development and implementation as well as updates on the number of EIA projects conducted in the E & P sectors will be discussed. Finally, due to recent concerns on global environment and societal expectations for stakeholder consultation/and dialogue, suggestions are made for the way forwards and proposal for improvements in EIA.