Hydro delivered a comprehensive plan to the Norwegian Pollution Control Authority on Friday, May 30, concerning discharges into the sea. The plan will reduce the environmental impact of Hydro's offshore operations in tNorway by some 80 percent. One of the planned measures is the reinjection of produced water at the Oseberg Field Center.
"Hydro is working hard to satisfy the authorities' demands for zero discharge into the environment by 2005. We've subsequently presented a plan with concrete measures for the fields we operate in the Norwegian offshore sector," says Torgeir Kydland, head of Hydro Oil and Energy, Operations and Production, Norway.
The plan has a cost framework of NOK 430 million (EUR 55 million/USD 65 million) – for the license groups of the fields affected. The measures will lead to the reduction of harmful discharges into the environment by 80 percent from 2002 and 2006.
Reinjection on Oseberg
The plan, developed through good cooperation between all field license partners, entails different measures on different fields. The basis of the plan is significant work Hydro has particpated in with the Norwegian Oil Industry Association (OLF) and Norwegian Pollution Control Authority (SFT).
Hydro plans to develop the means to reinject produced water from the Oseberg Field Center back into subterranean oil reservoirs. New rinsing technology will be tested on the Troll B and C platforms. The decision on what concrete measures are taken on individual fields will be made by the respective licenses.
Cost efficient
The planned measures are based on the understanding between OLF and SFT that cost-effective evaluations would form the foundation for efforts to reduce discharges that can harm the environment. Hydro has prioritized the measures that give the most effective environmental improvements for the money spent.
The impact of the planned measures reflects what the company considers a practical and thorough zero discharge level for emissions using today's technology. In addition to the aforementioned measures, a gradual phasing out of environmentally harmful chemicals has been included into Hydro's work to improve the environment. The company's contribution to reducing the environmental impact of its activities will continue in the most cost-efficient way as long as there is still potential for environmental damage.