Initial Environmental Evaluation, Oil Drilling and Group Gathering Stations

                                                    Foreword

Treatment and disposal of formation water, with high salinity and oil content, which comes out during Oil-Well drilling and Crude Oil processing operation in the Oil Collecting Stations ( also known as Group Gathering Stations) pose a problem of environmental pollution with far reaching adverse impacts. The source of this polluted water is sub-Terrencan aquifer and its dis- posal on land or into surface water bodies during oil-well drilling and/or crude oil processing and separation in the Oil Collecting Stations/Group Gathering Stations is causing much concern for the resulting damages to land, water and air quality in some affected areas where such installations are in operation. Brewing public disContent and complaints in these areas have drawn the atten- tion of the Assam Pollution Control Board and the Central Pollution Control Board for remedial measures.

The Central Board with the Assam State Board made an Initial Environmental Evaluation ( IEE ) study of the nature of causes and effects associated with the problem during May-June, 1982 to find an effective and practicable solution of problem so that disposal of the formation water does not pollute the environment. This report embodies the salient observations and recommenda- tions of the Initial Environmental Evaluation study. .
The cooperation of Oil India Limited and 011 and Natural Gas Commission is gratefully acknowledged. Shri K. Baruah, Executive Engineer, Assam Poilution Control Board and Dr. R. N . Bhattacharyya, Environmental Engineer. Central Pollution Control Board undertook the requisite on- the-spot investigation including preparation of this report. It is believed that the standard practices suggested for Oil-Well drilling and for disposal of formation water which comes along with the crude would mitigate the adverse impacts caused at the present. The report has taken more aid from visuals than from narration to establish the adverse impacts of present practices. .
                                                                                                                                                                Dilip Biswas
                                                                                                                        Chairman, CPCB ]
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