1 Review of Environmental, Health, and Safety Efforts in the Oil and Gas Industry
1.1 Improvements in Air Quality
The use of cleaner fuels, improved automobile manufacturing technology, and cleaner industrial production operations have resulted in a 70-percent reduction in emissions of air pollutants nationwide since 1970. During this period, motor vehicle miles traveled have increased by 140 percent and the total volume of petroleum and natural gas products has increased by 147 percent, while air pollution emissions have declined by 31 percent, and the petroleum and natural gas industries have consciously reduced their greenhouse gas emissions.
Technological advances have been key to progress in environmental efforts. For example, one of the many promising new energy technologies, cars and trucks powered by fuel cells, offer both significant increases in energy efficiency and the radical elimination of pollution emissions. The development of this technology will eventually lead to the elimination of vehicles powered by internal combustion engines. However, the application of this technology does not necessarily mean that gasoline will be replaced, as gasoline may become the most useful energy source for fuel cells. In this technology, gasoline is no longer ignited and burned, but is instead chemically reacted in the fuel cell engine to release hydrogen, which then combines with oxidation to produce an electric current that provides energy for the car. Engineers in the oil and gas industry are already helping to develop prototypes of this new technology. The biggest advantage of using gasoline in fuel-cell engines is that it avoids a multibillion-dollar investment in the sale of new fuels, and today's gasoline pipelines, transfer points, supply trucks, gas stations and other retail gasoline outlets can continue to be used.
The installation of pumps at gasoline stations that reduce fuel vapor losses has led to a significant reduction in the emission of oil vapors from storage and transportation.Between 1985 and 1998, emissions of pollutants from storage and transportation fell by 20 percent.
As a result of EPA's TRI program, refinery air pollutant emissions fell 41 percent between 1988 and 1997, and emissions of carcinogens such as benzene fell 51 percent. Currently, EPA data show that refinery air pollutant emissions account for less than 3 percent of the nation's total toxic emissions.
Many oil and gas companies have taken steps to improve energy efficiency to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The industry is currently developing common methods that can measure and report greenhouse gas emissions.
1.2 Water Pollution Mitigation
API member companies have strongly supported the strict enforcement of the underground storage tank regulation, which has reduced tank leaks. API member companies have spent $1.2 billion to improve or replace storage tanks under the regulations.
The use of single-hull tankers will be phased out to prevent or reduce oil spills. Since the 1990s, more than 700 double-hull tankers have been built and placed in service around the world. By 2015, all tankers operating in U.S. waters will be double-hulled. Investments in double-hulled tankers, spill response infrastructure and spill prevention training have reduced oil spills in U.S. waters by more than 90 percent since 1989.
New technologies have advanced oil and gas exploration and extraction. Tension strut production platforms can extract oil and gas more than a mile underwater. Offshore oil and gas exploration and production also uses other advanced technologies, such as "remote operators" for cleaning platforms and installing submerged wells, and "virtual reality" computer models for designing new platforms, which are three-dimensional images of the platforms that allow operators to visualize individual components before they are built. This is a three-dimensional image of the platform that allows operators to effectively inspect individual components and identify hazards before they are constructed. The use of these new technologies increases the effectiveness and safety of the installation and reduces costs.
1.3 Recycling and Conservation
1.3.1 Recycling and Reuse of Used Engine Oil
Oil companies have established easily accessible engine oil recycling centers that recycled 250 million gallons of oil in 1997 alone.
Proper disposal of used engine oil will benefit the environment. Re-refined used oil can be reused as motor oil and lubricants, or re-refined and used as fuel. Recycled motor oil can be used in power plants to produce electricity, can be used as fuel for industrial burners and ships, and can also be mixed with asphalt.
1.3.2 Plastics Recycling
Since 1990, the plastics industry has invested $1 billion to support the recycling of plastics, and there are more than 1,700 plastics recycling companies.
1.4 Environmental Investment
Between 1990 and 1998, the U.S. petroleum industry invested approximately $83 billion in environmental protection.
1.4.1 Environmental Protection Technology
Large amounts of money have been invested in improving technology, such as three-dimensional imaging, which provides better information for finding oil and natural gas, and reduces the amount of money spent on drilling for non-producing oil. Less drilling means less environmental damage. Three-dimensional imaging utilizes sound waves that pass through the earth and are reflected back, and geophysicists use computers to process the data into three-dimensional images of the subsurface to show the location of oil and gas reservoirs. Using the same imaging technology can locate horizontal expansion wells, reducing the number of oil and gas wells that would normally be required due to the expanded pumping range, and horizontal wells also reduce damage to the earth's surface.
1.4.2 High-Tech Monitoring of Pipelines
With 150,000 miles of pipelines in the United States transporting 525 billion gallons of crude oil and petroleum products annually, pipeline transportation is the most important, and safest, and most reliable method of transportation. To ensure the safety of pipeline transportation, advanced technology is used to inspect pipelines, such as in Alaska, where aircraft fitted with infrared spectrometers are able to locate problematic above-ground pipelines before a leak occurs. The same technology is used to observe Caribbean polar bear herds to avoid harmful effects on them from oil operations. Oil companies also ensure the safety and integrity of pipelines through corrosion protection systems and the implementation of community programs to prevent damage from 3rd party excavations. Over the past 30 years, oil spilled from U.S. pipelines has declined by 60 percent.
1.4.3 Ensuring the Physical Safety and Health of Employees
Oil and gas companies care about the safety and health of their employees and the impact of their operations on surrounding communities. Although oil workers are often subjected to physically demanding operations, frequently work with heavy equipment, and are often exposed to high temperatures and pressures, the rate of work-related illnesses and injuries among workers is lower than in the private sector in the United States. Between 1989 and 1998, the rate dropped by 20 percent, and between 1992 and 1998, the number dropped by 11 percent.
2 Oil and Gas Exploration and Exploitation
2.1 Offshore Exploration and Exploitation
2.1.1 Protecting Living Things at Sea
The 3900 exploration and extraction platforms in the Gulf of Mexico provide habitat for migrating birds, and the clean water near the oil platforms provides conditions for marine animals to survive.
2.1.2 Environmental and Safety Management
Before oil can be extracted from the seafloor, offshore platforms are required to meet strict environmental standards. The extracted hydrocarbon water is treated to remove the oil and then strictly monitored under EPA regulations before being discharged into the sea. As a result of these measures, numerous government-directed studies have shown that it is safe to consume fish and crustaceans near platforms. After the platforms are decommissioned, they are dismantled carefully to avoid jeopardizing marine animals near the domain.
Companies in the oil and gas industry are almost entirely enrolled in API's Safe Environmental Management Program (SEMP), which has become the standard for offshore facilities.
2.1.3 Water Environment Management
Companies operating in the Gulf and elsewhere have converted abandoned offshore platforms into artificial reefs so that fish and other marine life can grow near them. Fishing and diving tourism programs are also available on artificial reefs.
The oil industry is continuing to improve working conditions to avoid accidental pollution incidents. According to the National Academy of Sciences, pollution from offshore oil and gas exploration and extraction accounts for only 2 percent of marine oil pollution in the Gulf of Mexico, with industrial and municipal discharges entering the Gulf of Mexico via the Mississippi River being the main source of pollution in the Gulf. Offshore exploration and exploitation in other regions also has a good environmental record.
2.1.4 Development and Application of New Technologies
Oil and gas companies are continuing to improve offshore E&P technologies, which not only increase productivity, but also extend platform life and ensure that no oil spills occur. The use of Cutting-edge drilling technology allows oil and gas companies to extract more oil and gas from a wider area using fewer wells and platforms. The use of advanced seismic-related imaging technology has allowed oil and gas companies to use fewer wells to dramatically increase resource recovery in areas that were thought to be unpromising. As fewer wells are used, there is less drill cuttings, less wastewater and less drilling mud, and less chance of accidental spills.
In offshore drilling operations, oil and gas companies are increasingly using synthetic drilling fluids called "muds," which allow drilling cuttings to be discharged into the sea instead of being transported to shore, reducing the number of sites where they can be discharged and buried. The oil platform utilizes technologically advanced high-pressure valves that automatically close when detectors detect anomalies, preventing oil spills. Automated failsafes are installed in the wells to protect the seabed and marine life. Master control switches are located on different augers on the platform and are easily accessible.
2.2 Onshore E&P
Many oil and gas companies participate in environmental stewardship programs, investing in nature conservation education and research programs. Many E&P companies participate in the EPA's Natural Gas Star Program, which reduces emissions through the adoption of cost-effective technologies. Exploration and extraction in environmentally sensitive areas, such as wetlands and other protected areas, requires extra care and new technologies. The use of directional drilling avoids drilling in wetlands. Some companies are utilizing new technologies to reduce pollutant emissions, and noiseless drilling does not disturb wildlife.
Waste management in the oil and gas exploration and extraction industry is governed by state regulatory agencies. Enforcement of the regulations is inspected jointly by the state, industry regulators, EPA, and environmental organizations to protect the environment and human health.
As a result of the development and application of new technologies for offshore exploration and extraction, the application of new technologies for onshore extraction has resulted in less on-site drilling, thus reducing the potential for environmental damage. In addition, with the use of combination drilling rigs and slim-hole drills, operators can use rigs that are 1/4 the size and weight of standard pieces, thus reducing drilling time and environmental impact on the surface.
The adoption of directional drilling technology has enabled oil and gas companies to extract oil and gas from environmentally vulnerable areas. The use of horizontal drilling extraction techniques means fewer wells and less waste. Pumping units are made of lighter, stronger materials, require less fuel to transport and operate, and have less impact on the ground. Wells that can no longer produce are plugged underground and the surface is restored to its original condition.
3 Environmental Stewardship by Oil and Gas Refining, Marketing Companies
The downstream industrial sectors of oil and gas provide large quantities of oil and gas products to U.S. consumers. The adoption of new technologies has enabled these industrial sectors to make amazing strides in environmental protection.
3.1 Reduction of Pollutant Emissions
The oil and gas industry, particularly the downstream industrial sector, has contributed significantly to the continued improvement of air quality in the United States. The use of cleaner fuels, improvements in automobile manufacturing technology, and cleaner production by petrochemical companies have led to significant reductions in air pollutant emissions in the U.S. The reductions in air pollutants resulting from these improvements accounted for 71 percent of the total U.S. air pollutant emission reductions between 1970 and 1997. Refineries reduced air pollutant emissions by 77 percent during the same period.
Carbon monoxide emissions from refineries and related plants have declined by 85 percent since 1970, largely due to reductions in carbon monoxide emissions from refineries' catalytic cracking units; sulfur dioxide emissions from cracking units have declined by more than 63 percent; and nitrogen oxides emitted by the petroleum industry, including refineries, have dropped by more than half, and volatile organic compounds emissions have declined by 55 percent. The storage and transportation industry, including gasoline outlets (e.g., gas stations) and transfer stations, reduced emissions by 20 percent between 1985 and 1997.
Refinery emissions of air toxics fell 34 percent between 1988 and 1997, and emissions of carcinogens such as benzene fell 51 percent. According to EPA data, refinery toxic emissions account for only 3 percent of the nation's emissions and are on track for continued reductions.
3.2 Protecting Workers
Downstream companies in the oil and gas industry are examples of successful industrial safety efforts. Injury rates at these companies are less than one-fifth of the injury rate in manufacturing; the injury rate in the oil marketing industry is 26 percent lower than the injury rate in the U.S. marketing industry as a whole. Between 1997 and 1998, the refining industry's injury rate declined by 30 percent, while marketing increased by 9 percent. Over the 10-year period from 1989 to 1998, refinery worker illness and injury rates declined by 64 percent.
3.3 Ensuring the Safety of Underground Storage Tanks
Ensuring that companies are safe to ship and market without jeopardizing the environment, and that storage facilities are maintained to minimize leaks, is important to the company and the surrounding population. By 1998, the U.S. EPA managed about 825,000 storage tanks, of which about 60,000 are owned by API members. Many of the tanks are located underground at 18,000 gas stations.
Federal standards for underground storage tanks, implemented in 1998, have played an important role in effectively preventing tank leaks. Under these standards, owners take steps to protect tanks from corrosion, improve methods for monitoring tanks, soil and groundwater, and make improvements to devices that prevent tanks from overfilling, such as alarms, automatic shutoffs or float valves.
API member companies have 60,000 underground storage tanks that have been retrofitted or upgraded to meet the requirements of new environmental standards.
3.4 Making Fuel Cleaner
Since the introduction of unleaded gasoline in the early 1970s, the refining industry has made five major improvements to gasoline and diesel fuel that have made cars cleaner and reduced air pollution. The most significant improvement has been the new formulations of gasoline promoted in the 1990s, which have resulted in significant reductions in pollutant emissions from motor vehicles. For example, after California first sold newly formulated gasoline in 1996, it gained an effect equivalent to reducing pollutant emissions from 350,000 vehicles.
The sulfur content of diesel products in the petroleum industry was reduced by 90 percent in 1993. The next step will be to further reduce the sulfur content of gasoline and diesel fuel. By 2004, with the use of new low-sulfur fuel vehicles and state-of-the-art emission reduction equipment, motor vehicle emissions will be only 3 percent of what they were in the 1960s.
3.5 Waste Oil Recycling
Waste oil is an important resource.API member companies take waste oil recycling very seriously.There are currently 12,200 waste oil collection centers operated by API member companies, plus an estimated 26,000 waste oil collection centers operated by states, municipalities, motor vehicle and petroleum service centers, and others.
4 Pipelines Move Toward Leak-Free, Failure-Free Operation
There are 160,000 miles of pipelines across the U.S. that efficiently move large volumes of crude oil and petroleum products, delivering 2/3 of the total supply.Pipeline delivery is safe, inexpensive, and has a low environmental impact.
Protecting and improving the reliability of the nation's pipeline system is undoubtedly important to economic growth. Over the past 30 years, pipelines have reduced the number of spills by 40 percent, reduced the amount of oil spilled by about 60 percent, and are well on their way to leak-free and error-free operation.
The biggest cause of pipeline leaks is "external" or "third-party" damage - primarily due to excavation, construction, or agricultural practices. In the last six years, 35 percent of leaks and 25 percent of accidents were due to vandalism. Many of these accidents could not have been prevented by the pipeline operators, so they strongly support the measures taken by all parties to reduce vandalism.
5 Marine Transportation Has Made Great Progress Toward Zero Spills
Tankers play a huge role in meeting U.S. energy needs. Fifty-four percent of the oil consumed in the U.S. every day is imported, most of which is transported by tankers.
Spills from U.S. tankers reached a maximum in 1989, have remained below 5,000 barrels since 1991, and have declined even further to less than 1,000 barrels since 1998.
The U.S. oil industry has made great strides toward achieving the goal of zero spills.
The oil and gas industry has spent about $22.5 billion since 1990 to protect U.S. waters from spills, with remarkable results.
I. Basic status
China's garbage disposal started late, with low capacity for harmless garbage treatment, and there was a serious situation where garbage surrounded the city. In recent years, China's environmental sanitation industry has had a large development, so that the level of urban garbage disposal has increased, and the phenomenon of garbage encircling the city has been eased. According to 1994 statistics, there were about 380,000 sanitation workers in cities throughout the country***, with about 34,400 various types of sanitation machinery, a garbage disposal rate of 35.8 per cent, and 609 harmless disposal sites, with the capacity for harmless disposal of garbage and the rate of disposal having grown very significantly in recent years. All major cities in China have set up scientific research institutes for environmental sanitation, and have carried out research on urban waste treatment technology and equipment. During the "Eighth Five-Year Plan" period, the state allocated nearly ten million yuan and loaned tens of millions of yuan to carry out scientific research, development and demonstration projects on composting, landfilling, incineration and resource utilization of municipal waste.
Second, the application of garbage disposal technology
The management of urban garbage is a systematic project, including garbage collection, transportation, transfer, treatment and resource utilization and other aspects.
1. Collection of urban garbage
Most Chinese cities and towns are now using mixed collection methods for garbage collection (except hospital garbage). The garbage operation methods and equipment used are mainly the following: fixed garbage cans, storage collection of garbage, movable garbage cans, collection of garbage, garbage can collection, plastic bag collection. Sealed container collection and ground refuse collection, etc. The vast majority of cities are able to achieve timely garbage collection and keep the environment of residential areas clean.
2. Urban garbage transportation
On the whole, China's urban garbage collection and transportation rate of mechanization is low, sanitation workers labor-intensive, manual operation, insufficient machinery, equipment performance is poor, about 40% of the country's sanitation apparatus, vehicles, etc. need to be renewed, each year, about 10 million tons of urban garbage and therefore can not be transported in time to the treatment site.
3. Urban garbage disposal
Currently China adopts the garbage disposal site and resource technology with the rest of the world, mainly using sanitary landfill, composting, incineration, etc., of which most of the urban garbage using the landfill, simple landfill disposal, sanitary landfill, mechanical composting, incineration is also part of the application. China's municipal waste disposal methods mainly include waste-made building materials (bricks) and comprehensive utilization.
(1) Application of landfill technology
For a long time, most cities in China have been treated by open piles, natural ditch filling and pit filling. Only general anaerobic treatment can be achieved. However, in recent years, the construction of landfills has become more and more perfect, and a number of landfills with a high level of waste have been built, such as Hangzhou, Guangzhou, Suzhou, Beijing, Chengdu, Baotou and other cities according to the actual situation of the city to establish a more perfect sanitary landfill, and at the same time, landfills produced by the methane gas recycling and utilization of the technology has also been developed. At present, landfill is still the most important way of landfill waste disposal in China.
(2) Application of composting technology
In recent years, China's waste composting has developed rapidly. From the 80's onwards, the application of "secondary fermentation process", due to the adoption of forced sealing, aerobic fermentation, shorten the fermentation cycle, composting machinery is becoming more and more perfect, the production tends to industrialization. At present, wuxi, changzhou, tianjin, shenyang, beijing, wuhan and other cities have designed their own mechanized garbage composting treatment production line suitable for china, many cities have a considerable part of the simple garbage composting plant.
(3) Application of incineration technology
China's research on waste incineration technology started in the mid-80s, incineration technology for the waste harmlessness, reduction, resource treatment of the most effective way for the future development of waste disposal, at present, only a few cities in China, such as Shenzhen, Leshan, Xuzhou and other cities to establish a waste incineration treatment plant, incineration power generation demonstration test The system is running well, but the scale is not large and the daily treatment capacity is low. Beijing, Shenyang, Shanghai, Beihai, Guangzhou and other large and medium-sized cities are currently planning to build a larger-scale waste incineration site