Water Availability Study and Projection of Future Scenarios in the Reconcavo Norte and Inhambupe Basins (Bahia)

Abstract

Abstract In the industrial segment worldwide, the oil industry is an intensive water user. Some Company Units develop their activities in regions where the water demand is progressively increasing, due to the economic and population growth. For this reason, there is a need to know the current situation of the surface and underground water availability in these regions, especially in those places where there is a high rate of water usage, and also know the support capacity of the water body for receiving and disposing of the effluents, and, from that, build future scenarios of the evolution of these parameters (demand and availability). This study will technically support the Company to establish and/or update its corporate guidelines concerning the expansion of its activities and the rationalization of water use (surface and/or underground) in its operating units in the State of Bahia. The scope of this study encompasses: The river basins of Recôncavo Norte and Inhambupe for assessing surface waters and; The aquifers present in the sedimentary Basins of Recôncavo Norte for assessing underground waters. The research and studies are carried out in three areas identified as the centres of Company’ activities in the State of Bahia, which are: São Francisco do Conde, Candeias and Madre de Deus: where the Madre de Deus Waterway Terminal and the Landulpho Alves Refinery are located; Camaçari Petrochemical Centre: where the Nitrogen Fertilizer Factory of Bahia and Camaçari Fuel Distribution Base are located; Area of operation of the Operational Units of the State of Bahia, where Company’ Exploration and Production units are located. The most important result of this study is the building of short, medium and long term scenarios (5, 10, 15 and 20 years) of the hydric availability for capture of water and disposal of effluents. These scenarios will be built taking into account federal, regional and local laws on the discharge of effluents and management of hydric resources, the population growth forecast, the socioeconomic situation of the surrounding population, the government plans for potential hydric resources, the criteria of the existing Basin committees and, in the absence of these, the criteria proposed by the hydric resources management government agencies. This study has a special significance for two reasons: Making a complete assessment of the current conditions of the surface and underground water availability in an integrated way, taking into account their interactions; Its conception being the result of the integrated action of three business areas operating in the region (Refining, Transport and E & P), with interest in the data to be obtained and the probable scenarios created to guide its water management programs and investment in new rational water usage technologies.