DOE awards study of oil field waste site in Louisiana

The U.S. Department of Energy's Fossil Energy Office has awarded Louisiana a $200,000 grant to study air emissions at an oil field waste treatment facility near Grand Bois, La. Local citizens have complained of toxic emissions from the site (OGJ, Sept. 29, 1997, p. 46). The study will be part of Louisiana's review of its oil and gas waste regulations. The state will contribute $50,000 for the project, which will begin this year and take a year.

Sept. 21, 1998

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The U.S. Department of Energy's Fossil Energy Office has awarded Louisiana a $200,000 grant to study air emissions at an oil field waste treatment facility near Grand Bois, La.

Local citizens have complained of toxic emissions from the site (OGJ, Sept. 29, 1997, p. 46). The study will be part of Louisiana's review of its oil and gas waste regulations. The state will contribute $50,000 for the project, which will begin this year and take a year.

The Louisiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Louisiana State University, and the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality will examine emissions from the U.S. Liquids Exploration & Production Co. land treatment site.

DOE noted that Louisiana's 27,000 marginal wells are vulnerable to small hikes in environmental compliance costs, notably handling and disposal of oil field wastes.

DOE said, "Earlier this year, the Louisiana DNR required, by emergency rule, comprehensive and systematic testing of oil field wastes disposed of at commercial facilities throughout the state."

The study will determine if hydrogen sulfide or hydrocarbons are being formed in the land treatment (landfarm) cells and are being released. If so, it will seek ways to reduce emissions. It also will provide data to help states evaluate their disposal regulations.

Since 1988, 17 states, including Louisiana, have used a process developed by the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission and the Environmental Protection Agency to determine if their oil and gas waste management programs are adequate.