Oil and Gas Exploration Prudent Development Through Environmental Awareness - Literature review Example

U.S. Oil and Gas Exploration Prudent Development U.S. Oiland Gas Exploration Prudent Development Introduction Awareness regarding the significance of environmental issues is currently central to the thoughts of the oil and gas industry, as well as regulators. The integration of the environment and development is the theme of many stakeholder meetings between environmental agencies and oil and gas industries. International bodies are also part of this conversation; for instance, the United Nations Environmental Program headquartered in Kenya held a conference in Rio in 1992. Part of the declaration principles pointed to the fact that sustainable development is solely dependent on environmental protection. Such declarations aim at achieving equilibrium between oil and gas exploration and production and environmental conservation (Fanchi, 2010). This paper will examine the current regulatory and environmental laws related to water disposal and earth disturbance among others for gas and oil drilling. EPA, as well as other federal regulatory agencies, makes provisions for oil and gas drilling activities performed by drilling companies. Environmental and Regulatory Laws In the US, the exploration and development of gas and oil as well as other mineral resources is affected by a wide array of interconnected legal commands such as state, federal, and international laws. Notably, international laws provide a viable framework for the establishment of national control. Domestic federal laws, on the other hand, supplement standards established by international environmental bodies. State and federal laws control the exploration of minerals, as well as the regulation of gas and oil development activities. In essence, states have prominent authority within a three geographical mile region stretching from their coasts. Adherence to environmental laws is currently a significant part of the oil and gas industry (Wright & Gallun, 2008). Therefore, an in-depth appreciation for the impact and applicability of environmental regulations on gas and oil is pertinent for informed decision making regarding planning, acquisition, exploration and production of oil and gas. With regard to federal regulations, the Clean Water Act (CWA) regulates oil and gas facilities ensuring that oil and gas exploration companies protect water resources. Fresh water pollution is one of the most prominent issues affecting oil and gas exploration companies. There are numerous sources of fresh water pollution such as damage from produces water disposal and damage from underground storage tanks or pits (McAleese, 2000). Oil and gas companies also pollute fresh water resources through inappropriately plugged wells or unplugged wells. Most management practices control the disposal of wastes from oil and natural gas production. Moreover, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) administers gas and oil development activities on federal and private lands on which the government retains mineral rights. The forest services, as well as other federal land management agencies, supervise company operations during the drilling process. This control and management is essentially governed by Part 3100, Title 43 of the Code of Federal Regulations. The law mandates the bureau of land management to either approve or deny gas and oil leases or exert on gas and oil companies environmental restraints whenever the bureau finds it necessary. According to EPA, crude oil and natural gas wells produce at least 361 million barrels of drilling waste from approximately 70,000 wells. On the other hand, associated wastes, for instance, tank bottoms and work over fluids produce at least 11 million barrels of waste per year. Organic pollutants pose serious concerns and include hydrocarbons such as phenthrene and benzene. On the other hand, inorganic substances, which pose environmental concerns, include lead, barium, arsenic, uranium, fluoride and antimony (Testa & Jacobs, 2012). The 1976 federal land policy and management act, otherwise referred to as the BLM organic act, requires oil and gas production companies to analyze their waste streams, particularly from their oil and gas drilling and production plants. In oil and gas drilling, earth disturbance refers to drilling activities, which disturb the land surface, for instance, through land clearing, grading, excavations, development, embankments and other gas and crude oil activities. EPA requires that oil and gas exploration companies acquire permits for any earth disturbance activities such as onshore and offshore drilling, as well as other gas and oil activities. Federal laws require gas and oil drilling organizations to identify their source and storage locations for water used in drilling activities. EPA further demands that oil and gas companies make effective land allocations for where the organization will store and treat frac water. This provision is an integral constituent of the application for drilling permit process (Fanchi, 2010). The Department of Environmental Protection established effective permit guidelines, which enforce concrete rules regarding water usage and removal in regions used for oil and gas exploration and production. These regulations aim at ensuring that the quality of surface water remains unharmed by drilling activities (McAleese, 2000). During the permit application process, the department of environmental protection requires that all gas and oil companies specify the origin as well as location of fresh water. Oil and gas organizations should also specify the expected effects of water withdrawals, particularly with regard to water resources. The federal agency provides approval for drilling activities and delegates, to the pertinent river basin commission, the mandate to offer such approval despite the exploration state. The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System is a country wide system that issues permits to oil and gas drilling companies under section 402 in 33 U.S.C.A. §  1342 of the Federal Clean Water Act. This federal regulation governs both state, as well as interstate programs approved by the EPA. This includes regulations codified within Chapter 92 regarding the proper permitting, supervising and ensuring compliance with the national pollutant discharge elimination system. The system ensures that gas and oil drilling companies safely dispose their waste water and utilize available water resource in an ethical manner. On the other hand, activities regarding oil and gas drilling are also not exempt from sediment and erosion control. This control occurs through the application of federal law regarding earth disturbance activities, which also include gas and crude oil drilling (Testa & Jacobs, 2012). The Department of Environmental Protection demands that all crude oil and natural gas drilling companies acquire a permit when the scope of their earth disturbance covers at least five acres. Under Section 102.2 of the Clean Streams Law of 1929, the federal government assigns the responsibility on the drilling company or other entity that causes earth disturbance to put into practice and sustain viable controls to deter the potential for erosion and sedimentation. The department of environmental protection also follows up to ensure that drilling companies adhere to the federal provisions for erosion and sedimentation from earth disturbance. As a consequence of the dire effects of chemicals and actions used in oil and gas drilling, the department of environmental protection requires all drilling companies to make known all the chemicals stored or used at the drilling site. The department requires all drilling companies to establish and submit viable pollution prevention, as well as contingency plans, as part of the elaborate permit application process. This plan consists of copies guaranteeing material safety for all chemicals used in drilling activities (Fanchi, 2010). DEP keeps copies of these plans and makes them available to local governments, land owners and emergency responders when needed. Risks and Environmental Concerns The oil and gas production industry is perhaps one of the most profitable industries, which involves exploration, drilling and production of oil and natural gas. However, these processes pose significant risks to the wellbeing of plant and animal species, as well as water resources in the region. Drilling activities inject massive quantities of water and chemicals into rocks, thereby forcing oil and gases to escape to other regions, primarily through a well constructed well. This presents substantive risks to underground water and surface water resources, with the notable accompanying risks to drinking water. Such drilling activities contaminate water resources, which ultimately provide drinking water to humans and animals. In addition, since drilling activities also require substantial amounts of fresh water, drilling also poses the risk of depletion of fresh water supplies. Spills from chemicals used in drilling activities, as well as leaks from flow back fluids which contain chemicals have the potential to injure human and plant life in the drilling site and its surroundings (McAleese, 2000). Threats to underground water supplies, which provide water to plants and animals on the surface, emanate from poorly constructed wells, particularly when fractures stretch farther than intended, or when capped gas and oil wells function as a migration point for chemicals used in new wells. The consequence of water contamination is the dilapidation of the health of both plants and animals on the surface. Furthermore, oil and gas drilling produces massive quantities of wastewater that ultimately requires proper management and containment to deter seepage to underground and surface water resources. When wastewater seeps into underground and surface waters, the water becomes extremely contaminated resulting in the death of plant and animal life, especially aquatic animals or humans who drink water from such contaminated resources. Noise pollution from drilling activities also adversely affects hearing abilities of both humans and animals on the drilling site and in the vicinity (Wright & Gallun, 2008). Moreover, exposure to silica dust produced in the drilling process puts humans (especially site workers) at risk of developing diseases such as silicosis. It is quite apparent that oil and gas drilling activities produce detrimental effects on human, plant and animal life, hence necessitating the establishment of proper and safe drilling procedures. Developing Safe Resources of Oil and Gas Best management practices refer to state of the art alleviation measures employed to gas and oil drilling, as well as production activities aimed at improving the adherence of these actions to established environmental regulations. A drilling company or operator can effectively develop oil and gas resources in a prudent and safe manner by implementing best management practices in oil and gas drilling and production (Testa & Jacobs, 2012). These best management practices ensure that operators perform oil and gas exploration activities in an environmentally responsible manner. These practices essentially preserve the quality of air, water, landscapes and wildlife and human lives. One notable way in which oil and gas drillers and operators can ensure their operations are environmentally responsible is through the establishment of cutting edge examination and production techniques. These techniques can center on the notion that the footprint of energy production should be as minimal as possible. Operators can incorporate the latest technologies in their oil and gas exploration and production to ensure that oil and gas companies meet all the required standards for minimally environmentally invasive procedures. Since best management practices endorsed by federal environmental agencies are not one-size-fits-all, operators can develop their own practices aimed at ensuring their activities do not harm forests, wildlife, humans, water and scenic quality. The development of advanced technologies that deter seepage of chemicals and waste waters into underground and surface water resources is a notable step towards the achievement of environmentally responsible practices (McAleese, 2000). In addition, operators can also ensure that their activities do not cause harm to the environment by doing away with detrimental practices such as using inadequate technologies such as fractured wells, which harm the environment. References Fanchi, J. (2010). Integrated reservoir asset management: Principles and best practices. Oxford: Gulf Professional Publishing. McAleese, S. (2000). Operational aspects of oil and gas well testing. New Jersey: Elsevier Science Publishers. Testa, S., & Jacobs, J. (2012). Oil spills and gas leaks: Environmental response, prevention and cost recovery. New York: McGraw-Hill Professional. Wright, C. J., & Gallun, R. A. (2008). Fundamentals of oil & gas accounting (5th ed.). Oklahoma: PennWell Corporation. Read More