Petroleum Drilling and Production Operations in the Gulf of Mexico

Abstract

Decades of offshore and inland petroleum drilling and production in the Gulf of Mexico and on the Gulf coast have provided the much needed energy and chemical feedstocks to the nation, and also have made an impact on the environment in the area. Our study showed deposits of contaminated sediment on the ocean floor around offshore platforms, old reserve pits, and dump sites next to many surface facilities and compressor stations. The substances found on the ocean floor and in dump sites are simple or emulsified mixtures of silt, hydrocarbons, and water. The cleaning of the ocean floor and pits is an economic and technical challenge. Hydrocarbons are from crude oil and chemical additions for various operational necessities, including additions of biocides, corrosion inhibitors, antifreezes, and coagulants. When the new government regulations lower the allowable maximum total organic carbon level to the 50 ppm range, these hydrocarbons can no longer be ignored by drilling and production operators.