Bioremediation Study of Olefins, Mineral Oils, Iso-Paraffin Fluids and Diesel Oils Used for Land-based Drilling

摘要

Increasing concerns over health and safety, as well asrnenvironmental impacts of diesel oil-based muds in land-basedrndrilling applications, has prompted a search for safer drillingrnmud base fluids. There are two challenges. First, the drillingrnfluid must satisfy technical requirements. Second, it mustrnreduce environmental health and safety risks. This paperrnsummarizes research aimed at finding a synthetic base fluidrnthat satisfies both requirements. Laboratory studies evaluatedrnthe degradability of diesel and synthetic base fluids, and therntoxicities of the same fluids to a range of terrestrial flora andrnfauna. More specifically, biodegradation, seed germinationrnand root elongation of two plant types, earthworm survival,rnand response of bioluminescent bacteria (Microtox?) wererndetermined in a typical landfarm receiving soil containing therntest fluids. Olefins demonstrated the fastest biodegradationrnand lowest toxicity after bioremediation, whilst iso-paraffinrnfluids and mineral oil degraded less readily and developedrnextreme toxicity during the three-month bioremediationrnperiod. Although 71% of the diesel oil disappeared throughrnvolatilization and biodegradation, it remained extremely toxicrnafter bioremediation.