SCOPE for SCOPE for Improvement:Improvement: Drilling FluidsDrilling Fluids

GuidelinesGuidelines of Indiaof India

Environment Policy and Research India (EPRI)

219, Gopi Cine Mall, Nana Shankar Sheth Road, Dombivli (W) – 421202

Ph: 0251 – 3192839; Website: www.eprindia.com; Email: info@eprindia.com

Avick Sil and Kanchan Avick Sil and Kanchan WakadikarWakadikar

What is Drilling What is Drilling FluidsFluids

Drilling fluids are suspension of finely divided heavy materials such as bentonite and barite

Uses Drilling natural gas, oil and water wells

WhyReduces friction and torqueIncreases drill rig performance and lifeControl water lossStabilizes bore holes

Sil, A., Wakadikar, K., Kumar, S., Tandon, S., Sivagami, S. P. M., Kumar, R., Hettiartchi, J. P. 2010. Toxicity characteristics of drilling mud and its effect on aquatic fish populations. Journal of Hazardous, Toxic, and Radioactive Waste (doi:10.1061/(ASCE)HZ.2153-5515.000009).

Types Types

Oil Based Fluids (OBFs)Oil Based Fluids (OBFs)

Water Based Fluids (WBFs)Water Based Fluids (WBFs)

Synthetic Based Fluids (SBFs)Synthetic Based Fluids (SBFs)

Best performance

Poor environmental performance and eco-toxicity

Do not provide optimal performance

Best environmental performance in terms of their non-toxic

nature and biodegradation

Drilling performance - OBFs

Eco-toxicity and biodegradation - WBFs

Composition Composition

Emulsifiers - Aid in forming and maintaining the emulsion

Gellants/Wetting agents - Ensures the solids in the mud are

in wet phase

Bentonite - Aid in suspending drill cuttings in the mud

Barite - Increases the weight of the drilling mud

SBFs

Bentonite 18%

WBFs

Sil, A., Wakadikar, K., Kumar, S., Tandon, S., Sivagami, S. P. M., Kumar, R., Hettiartchi, J. P. 2010. Toxicity characteristics of drilling mud and its effect on aquatic fish populations. Journal of Hazardous, Toxic, and Radioactive Waste (doi:10.1061/(ASCE)HZ.2153-5515.000009).

Facts & Facts & FiguresFiguresYear Place Quantity

1967 Scily Island 38 million gallon

1977 North Sea 81 million gallon

1978 France 66 million gallon

1979 Gulf of Mexico 140 million gallon

1979 Tobago 46 million gallon

1983 Iran 80 million gallon

1983 South Africa 78 million gallon

1988 North Sea 43 million gallon

1989 Alaska 10 million gallon

1989 Canary Island 19 million gallon

1991 Kuwait 460 million gallon

1991 Italy 42 million gallon

1992 Uzbekisthan 88 million gallon

1994 Russia 2 million barrel

1996 Welses 70,000 tonnes

1999 Atlantic Coast 3 million barrel

2000 Rio de Jeneiro 343,200 gallon

2002 Spain 20 million gallon

2003 Pakistan 28,000 tonnes

2004 Alaska 337,000 gallon

Year Place Quantity

2005 Louisiana 7 million gallon

2006 Louisiana 71,000 barrel

2006 Philipines 530,000 gallon

2007 South Korea 2.8 million gallon

2008 Louisiana 419,000 million gallon

2009 Australia 52,000 million gallon

2010 Texas 462,000 gallon

2010 Louisiana 60,000 barrel 1 barrel – 117 litres

1 gallon – 3.8 litres

Mumbai 2010 – Approx. 1200 tonnes2011 – Approx. 400 tonnes

ThreatsThreats

Threat to aquatic life

Indirect impact on terrestrial organisms

Flora and fauna

Indirect impact on humans

MoEF Notification……….MoEF Notification……….

The Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF), India, Notification G.S.R. 546 (E) states that LC50 (96 h) must be greater than 30000 mg/L (MoEF, 2005)

Missing link.. .. … …..

No toxicity range

Nothing mentioned about

biodegradability

No risk assessment

No mentioned about test

organisms

Testing criteria

MoEF, 2005. Ministry of Environment and Forests notification, New Delhi, India, G.S.R.546 (E)

Thus it has a benchmark concentration of 30000 mg/L

Where World Where World StandsStandsToxicity Rating LC 50 (mg/L)

Very toxic 1Toxic 1-100

Moderately toxic 100-1000Slightly toxic 1000-10,000

Almost non-toxic 10,000-100,000Non-toxic 100,000

Toxicity Grades for Drilling Fluids

Biodegradability: > 60%

Specifies test organisms

Different test at every

level

Specific Toxicity gradingOECD, 1992. OECD Guideline for testing of chemicals, acute toxicity test for fishOSPAR, 2006. Protocols on methods for testing of chemicals used in offshore oil industry, OSPAR commissionUSEPA, 1996. Ecological effects test guidelines, OPPTS 850.1075, fish acute toxicity test, freshwater and marine

What They Have – Eco-What They Have – Eco-toxicology toxicology

Title Adopted in

LastUpdated

Alga, Growth Inhibition Test 1981 2006

Daphnia sp. Acute Immobilisation Test

1981 2004

Fish, Acute Toxicity Test 1981 1992

Fish, Prolonged Toxicity Test: 14-Day Study

1984 -

Avian Dietary Toxicity Test 1984 -

Avian Reproduction Test 1984 -

Earthworm, Acute Toxicity Tests

1984 -

Terrestrial Plants, Growth Test 1984 2006

Terrestrial Plants, Growth Test 1984 -

Fish, Early-Life Stage Toxicity Test

1992 -

Daphnia magna Reproduction Test

1998 -

Fish, Short- term Toxicity Test on Embryo and Sac-fry Stages

1998 -

Honeybees, Acute Oral Toxicity Test

1998 -

Title Adopted in

Last Updated

Honeybees, Acute Contact Toxicity Test

1998 -

Fish, Juvenile Growth Test 2000 -

Soil Microorganisms: Nitrogen Transformation Test

2000 -

Soil Microorganisms: Carbon Transformation Test

2000 -

Enchytraeid Reproduction Test

2004 -

Earthworm Reproduction Test (Eisenia fetida/Eisenia andrei)

2004 -

Sediment-Water Chironomid Toxicity Using Spiked Sediment

2004 -

Terrestrial Plant Test: VegetativeVigour Test

2006 -

Determination of the activity of anaerobic bacteria - reduction of gas production from anaerobically sewage sludge

2007 -

Source: http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/9/11/33663321.pdf

What They Have – What They Have – Degradation and Degradation and

AccumulationAccumulationTitle Adopted in Last Updated

Ready Biodegradability 1981 1992

Inherent Biodegradability: ModifiedSCAS Test

1981 -

Inherent Biodegradability: Zahn-Wellens/EMPA Test

1981 1992

Inherent Biodegradability: ModifiedMITI Test (II)

1981 -

Simulation Test – Aerobic SewageTreatment

1981 2001

Inherent Biodegradability in Soil 1981 -

Bioconcentration: Flow-Through Fish Test 1981 1996

Biodegradability in Seawater 1992 -

Aerobic and Anaerobic Transformation in Soil 2002 -

Aerobic and Anaerobic Transformation in Aquatic Sediment Systems 2002 -

Aerobic Mineralisation in Surface Water – Simulation Biodegradation Test

2004 -

Ready Biodegradability - CO2 in sealed vessels (Headspace Test) 2006 -

Anaerobic Biodegradability of Organic Compounds in Digested Sludge: byMeasurement of Gas Production

2006 -

Leaching in Soil Columns 2004 -

So where we areSo where we are…………….….…..…..

Become OECD Member

Others…...

Better Guideline

Oil spill modeling

system

Risk assessment

criteria

Mapping eco sensitive

areas

Making data bases

Biodegradability

Toxicity

gradation/rating

avick1411@gmail.com (Avick Sil)avick1411@gmail.com (Avick Sil)wakdikarkanchan@rediffmial.com (Kanchan wakdikarkanchan@rediffmial.com (Kanchan wakadikar)wakadikar)