Bioremediation of synthetic oil-based mud using Oilzapper
In any oil industry, during drilling operations huge quantities of oil contaminated drill cuttings and synthetic oil based mud (SOBM) are generated as waste. These waste contain several toxic, mutagenic and carcinogenic hydrocarbon constituents which contribute to severe environmental pollution. Bioremediation of oily waste is a proven and environmentally friendly cost effective oil contamination treatment approach. The treated waste can be reused as fill/road base making material. In TERI, an indigenous bacterial consortium, named Oilzapper, was developed by assembling four different bacterial strains that could degrade the total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) content present in oil contaminated drill cuttings/SOBM.
Because of the success story of Oilzapper, British Gas Exploration and Production India Ltd (BGEPIL) had approached TERI for bioremediation of their SOBM (Synthetic Oil-based Mud) at their Shorebase at Bhavnagar, Gujarat. TERI has undertaken one project for bioremediation of 438 metric tonnes of SOBM using Oilzapper. This was the first project by TERI on bioremediation of SOBM using Oilzapper in India. TERI had successfully completed the project in 5 months time. The bioremediated soil was used for plantation and was found that plants could grow on the soil without application of any fertilizer.
The present project is the second phase of the bioremediation job being carried out with 750 Tonnes SOBM of BGEPIL at their Shorebase at Bhavanagar.
Because of the success story of Oilzapper, British Gas Exploration and Production India Ltd (BGEPIL) had approached TERI for bioremediation of their SOBM (Synthetic Oil-based Mud) at their Shorebase at Bhavnagar, Gujarat. TERI has undertaken one project for bioremediation of 438 metric tonnes of SOBM using Oilzapper. This was the first project by TERI on bioremediation of SOBM using Oilzapper in India. TERI had successfully completed the project in 5 months time. The bioremediated soil was used for plantation and was found that plants could grow on the soil without application of any fertilizer.
The present project is the second phase of the bioremediation job being carried out with 750 Tonnes SOBM of BGEPIL at their Shorebase at Bhavanagar.