TITLE:
Environmental Efficiency in Water Use in Offshore Platforms in Campos Basin-RJ-Brazil
AUTHORS:
Victor Duarte, Asher Kiperstok, Luciano Queiroz, Ednildo Torres
KEYWORDS:
Offshore Supply Vessels, Water Reusing, Wastewater Treatment, Air Emissions
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Water Resource and Protection,
Vol.7 No.8,
June
23,
2015
ABSTRACT: In drilling and production of oil at sea, potable water is most commonly transported to oil platforms
using offshore supply vessels (OSV). This transport generates a series of environmental impacts,
such as the emission of greenhouse gases and risks to human health. Furthermore, transporting
high volumes of water requires large vessels and consequently, very high fuel consumption.
To minimise the environmental impacts, water supply options were studied. The desalination
of seawater and the reusing of streams from grey water (light and dark) and black water were
evaluated and compared with the characteristics of the current supply via OSV. The amount of fuel
consumed was collected in the logistics department of the oil company that used the OSVs. Air
emissions were quantified using the methodology that the IPCC recommended. The information
on the types of sewage treatment was found in the technical manuals from the manufacturers. It
was concluded that the reused water could achieve up to 70% reduction in atmospheric emissions,
the use of chemicals in the water treatment plant, sludge generation and the consumption of marine
diesel fuel for the transport of water. On the other hand, the same reduction can be observed
both from the effluent disposal at sea and in the chlorine of the sewage treatment plant. Therefore,
the source of water used and the reduction of air emissions can be maintained without impairment
of the normal water use in offshore platforms in the Campos Basin. The objective of this
study was to diagnose problems related to the current form of water supply, to quantify them and
to propose measures for increasing environmental efficiency.