KUWAIT EXPERIENCE IN DEALING WITH OIL LAKES/OIL WELL FIRES

摘要

In February 1991 Kuwait had experienced a major environmental disaster. Over 700 oil wells were ablaze and/or were damaged. Burning well fires had covered Kuwait and vast areas of neighbouring Gulf countries with thick smoke and falling black dust. Some 11 mmbbls (1.7 Mm~3) of oil had polluted marine life and shore lines of Kuwait and other neighbouring countries. More than 6% of Kuwait territory was damaged with a mix of burnt crude oil, raw crude oil, chemicals and brackish water used to fight the oil well fires. The Desert was littered with all sorts of unexploded ordinance which further compounded the problem.KOC, with global assistance, using many innovative techniques and with one of the fastest mobilization of equipment and personnel ever witnessed, had put out all well fires within a record 8 month period. Clean up of the resulting approximately 500 oil lakes remains a huge task. To date some 95% of the free weathered crude (21 mmbbls (3.3 Mm~3)) have been recovered, however, the remaining sludge and contaminated lake beds continue to present major environmental, safety, security and operational problems.Groundwater decontamination is possibly a major threat for some aquifers of Kuwait.Treatment of weathered crude soaked beds/soil remained a challenge. Proposals received from inside and outside agencies to carry out/assist in this gigantic task are being reviewed for possible future collaboration.