Date of Award

6-1996

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Environmental Science

First Advisor

Dr. AI-Forgi M. Zayid

Second Advisor

Othman Ahmed Hamed

Third Advisor

Dr. Mahamood F. Abd-Rabbo

Abstract

The purpose of this environmental case study is to evaluate the oily water treatment efficiency in the separation of oil from water in relation to the environmental impact to the marine environment. This study covers offshore oil fields production facilities in the Abu Dhabi Emirate. The study discusses the most commonly used methods in the separation of oily water disposals. It highlights in detail the different types of treatment systems currently in use at Abu Dhabi offshore oil fields production facilities. Emphasis is given to the performance of each treatment system, its deficiencies and possible areas of improvement.

The study evaluates an alternative, environmentally safe, methodology for removal of oil from water. It introduces a new approach to extraction of oil from water by employing Carbon Dioxide (CO2) at supercritical pressure and temperature. Possible sources of CO2 are identified in Abu Dhabi offshore process facilities, as chemical analysis indicate that plants' flue gases contain approximately 38% CO2.

The study revealed that the majority of the methods currently used to separate oil from water from Abu Dhabi offshore production facilities are inadequate to meet the target quality of 15 ppm maximum contamination.

The CO2 extraction methodology might be the solution toward the target quality as it gave promising results from the tests carried out at United Arab Emirates University laboratory.

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