In the drilling for and production of crude oil and gas offshore, it is necessary to assess the effects of such activities on the marine environment. Environmental monitoring programs are conducted to collect data for assessing the effects and determining the degree of impact. They provide the bases for implementing appropriate measures to mitigate the impact.

Esso Production Malaysia Inc. (EPMI) has since its early years of operation in Malaysia in the seventies, conducted several monitoring studies to gauge the impact of its operations on marine waters. The studies entail physical, chemical and biological aspects, and use of the benthic community to track short and long term effects.

This paper describes the Seligi Environmental Monitoring Program commissioned by EPMI, and discusses observations made from it.

Keywords:
control station, production malaysia inc, platform, discharge, sediment, nickel, manganese, drilling fluid property, drilling fluid chemistry, operation
Subjects:
Drilling Fluids and Materials, Environment, Drilling fluid selection and formulation (chemistry, properties)
Copyright 1994, Society of Petroleum Engineers
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