Oil & Gas

Drill cuttings have been allowed to accumulate on the seabed beneath offshore structures, creating piles of up to 500,000m3 in the northern North Sea alone. These cuttings pose a potential environmental hazard to the marine environment when disturbed, either during the decommissioning of structures, or during the removal of the cuttings themselves. Initial assessment of the tidal currents, wave environment and fate of particulate contaminants allows the optimal discharge depth and position to be identified. This information can be used to set targeted discharge consents and to reduce environmental impact.