Chemical composition of emissions from the Kuwait oil fires

Journal Article · Sun Sep 20 04:00:00 EDT 1992 · Journal of Geophysical Research

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/92JD01247· OSTI ID:81147

Ferek, R J; Hobbs, P V; Herring, J A ^[1]; Laursen, K K ^[2]; Weiss, R E ^[3]; Rasmussen, R A ^[4]

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1. Univ. of Washington, Seattle, WA (United States)
2. National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, CO (United States)
3. Oregon Graduate Institute of Science and Technology, Beaverton, OR (United States)
4. Radiance Research, Inc., Seattle, WA (United States)

Airborne measurements in the smoke from the Kuwait oil fires in May and June 1991 indicate that the combined oil and gas emissions were equivalent to the consumption of about 4.6 million barrels of oil per day. The combustion was relatively efficient, with about 96% of the fuel carbon burned emitted as CO{sub 2}. Particulate smoke emissions averaged 2% of the fuel burned, of which about 20% was soot. About two-thirds of the mass of the smoke was accounted for by salt, soot, and sulfate. The salt most likely originated from oil field brines, which were ejected from the wells along with the oil. The salt accounts for the fact that many of the plumes were white. SO{sub 2} and NO{sub x} were removed from the smoke at rates of about 6 and 22% per hour, respectively. The high salt and sulfate contents explain why a large fraction of the particles in the smoke were efficient cloud condensation nuclei. 14 refs., 3 figs., 1 tab.

• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• OSTI ID: 81147
• Journal Information: Journal of Geophysical Research, Journal Name: Journal of Geophysical Research Journal Issue: D13 Vol. 97; ISSN JGREA2; ISSN 0148-0227
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AEROSOLS
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
FIRES
KUWAIT
OIL WELLS
SMOKES