Bioremediation of Oil-Based Drill Cuttings under Tropical Conditions

摘要

Onshore drilling operations may generate oil-based waste likethe drill cuttings. These wastes are composed of mineralmatter mixed with the drilling fluid. They are usually disposedof in a variety of methods including thermal and physicochemicaltreatments. Over the last ten years, bioremediationhas been considered as a possible alternative to ? classical ?treatments since it has been well established that hydrocarbonsare prone to be biodegraded by microorganisms. This paperpresents the results of a large-scale industrial biotreatment ofdrill cuttings in Indonesia. A 12-mo field experiment was setup following a petroleum drilling operation. Resulting cuttingswere treated in windrows on a dedicated area. Periodicalmixing, fertilisation and microorganisms seeding allowed thebiodegradation of hydrocarbons. Concentration and chemicalcomposition of hydrocarbons, nutrients concentrations,microbial counts were periodically determined. Gaschromatographic analyses demonstrated the metabolism ofalkanes. Microbial counts increased during the biotreatment.After treatment, the cuttings were spread on a dedicated areato allow a cover by vegetation. This publication aims atdemonstrating that oily waste can be depolluted bybioremediation.