In order to minimize the environmental impact of its oilfield operations, the BP Sharjah Oil Company has been using camel dung and grass clippings to clean up oil spillages. The treatment uses the natural bacteria found in the dung of locally grazing camels to degrade the hydrocarbon content of the soil, eventually leaving it non-hazardous.
In 2001, 16,652 cubic feet of soil was processed using the biological treatment. After cleaning using a Vertical Centrifuge Cuttings Dryer to reduce the contamination to about five percent oil by volume, the soil was transferred to the land farm for bioremediation treatment. Within eight months the oil content was reduced from five percent to 0.3 percent.
In an environmental exercise, BP Sharjah has established a bioremediation farm, the company’s regional Outlook magazine reported. Situated within the Sajaa Plant operational area, any soil contaminated by accidental oil or chemical spillage is transferred to the farm for clean up.
“All materials are obtained free-of-charge. The only significant operational cost is to periodically turn the soil to maintain adequate ventilation, plus the analytical costs associated with regular testing of residual oil content,” explained Environmental Advisor of BP Sharjah, Ibrahim Almulla. In addition, grass clippings supplied by the municipality provide nutrients to feed bacteria and serve to further break-up the contaminated soil, aided by the addition of wastewater. — (menareport.com)
© 2002 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
