Salinity evaluation of on-site drilling wastes at bi-Hassan oilfield, North Iraq

Abstract EN

Salts like sodium chloride or potassium chloride are often added to drilling mud system to protect sensitive formations ; especially when an oil well is drilled through a salt dome.

One major concern with the burial of drilling wastes is the waste potential like salts migration of all directions.

In this study, forty samples of total waste (before burial) and the same number of soil (after application of burial on-site disposal method) have been collected from four drilling sites at Bi-Hassan oilfield.

Total dissolved solid (TDS), electrical conductivity (EC), sodium adsorption ratio (SAR), pH, chloride mass were determined in all samples in order to identify weather these sites containing high salts levels.

It was found, that most samples have EC and SAR values higher than of standard levels.

This salinity will adversely impact vegetation, land and groundwater.

Otherwise, no environmental effects will be expected from soil analyzing after adding soil to the wastes since the EC and SAR values are less than 4 mmhos / cm and 12 respectively.