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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Environmental assessment of proposed effluent limitations guidelines and standards for synthetic-based drilling fluids and other-non aqueous drilling fluids in the oil and gas extraction point source category

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:350362
This environmental assessment consists of an evaluation of the ecological and indirect human health impacts for the discharge of cuttings contaminated with synthetic-based drilling fluids (SBFs) with respect to discharges to water. In addition, this document describes the environmental characteristics of SBF drilling wastes (e.g., toxicity, bioaccumulation, biodegradation), the types of anticipated impacts, and the pollutant modeling results for water column concentrations, pore water concentrations, and human health effects via consumption of affected seafood. The geographic areas considered under this rule are those where EPA knows SBFs are currently used and those where EPA projects SBFs will be used as a result of the SBF Effluent Guidelines. This includes the Gulf of Mexico, offshore California, and Cook Inlet, Alaska.
Research Organization:
Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Water, Washington, DC (United States)
OSTI ID:
350362
Report Number(s):
PB--99-132938/XAB; EPA--821/B-98/019
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English