Helping to Preserve the Biodiversity of the Arabian Gulf
WKC successfully develops the region’s first comprehensive Guideline for the Discharge of Chemically Treated Water
Background Issues
A major offshore oil producing company based in Abu Dhabi set out to improve their management of chemically treated water into the Arabian Gulf. WKC was commissioned to develop a Discharge Guideline to aid offshore contractors in the selection of chemical products, asses’ potential risks to marine species, and to generally manage their discharges in such a way that causes minimal impact to the environment.
The Guideline
The Guideline was primarily based on the North Sea Offshore Council Notification Scheme (OCNS). The ONCS is widely considered to be amongst the most stringent discharge control schemes in the world. Insight was also obtained from United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) Guidelines.
The Guideline advocates consideration of ecotoxicity, biodegradability and bio-accumulative properties of chemical products as well as physical
site specific parameters, discharge arrangements and effluent properties when assessing the acceptability of a particular discharge. The project included a hydrodynamic modelling study order to determine site specific dilutions factors for subsequent incorporation into the HMSC Chemical
Hazard and Risk Management (CHARM) Model. The hydrodynamic modelling study was also used to assess different discharge arrangements in order to aid design of the most efficient system, taking into account site specific conditions and discharge requirements. Hydrodynamic modelling was conducted using the internationally renowned nearfield Mixing Zone Model, CORMIX.
The Outcome
The Guideline represents a considerable step forward in the management of effluent discharges in the Gulf and reflects WKC’s commitment to support oil producing companies and their contractors in their continual drive towards improving their environmental performance.
WKC is proud to have participated in the development of a scheme that will aid in the preservation of the culturally, economically and scientifically significant marine ecosystem that is the Arabian Gulf.
