"Economic Development and the Environment"
on the Sakhalin Offshore Oil and Gas Fields II

Copyright (C) 1999 by Slavic Research Center, Hokkaido University.
All rights reserved

Oil and Gas Development on the Sakhalin Island Shelf: An Assessment of Changes in the Okhotsk Sea Ecosystem

Alexander Leonov

  Table 1 . Potential waste from marine devices for drilling and recovery of oil and gas [8].
Operation Disposals
Exploring and industrial drilling water- and oil-based drill solutions; drill output (slime); cement remains
Packing of well-drillings Tamponage solutions and reagents
Repair of well-drillings repair liquids, corrosion inhibitors and precipitate
Technological operations in the extraction and treatment of hydrocarbons
Accidents 		Compounds for the separation of mixtures containing oil, gas, and water; passing (layer) water; water and reagents pumped to well-drillings; cooling water; drainage water; domestic wastes and discharges; atmospheric discharges
  Spills of oil and reagent solutions

 

  Table 2 . Approximate amounts of waste produced in the exploration and recovery of oil and gas in the sea [9].
Type of waste Approximate amount, tons
In areas of exploring drill per one well:
     used drill solution (periodic disposal)
     used drill solution (total disposal)
     drill slime (dry mass)
     oil in drill slime
     15-30
  150-400
200-1000
   300-1200*
In areas of oil recovery for well-drillings system:
     used drill solution
     drill slime
     layer and productive water

          45000**
          50000**
                                1500 tons/day ***
Notes: *
**

*** 		Actual amounts may be higher [10];
Assessment is done for 50 wells drilled from one platform in the period from 4 up to 20 years [11];
For one platform [12].

 

  Table 3 . The influence of development on ecological factors during different stages of development of marine oil and gas deposits [1].
Stage Aspect of activity Type and character of the influence
Geological and geophysical exploration seismic prospecting


exploring drilling



conservation and liquidation of well-drillings 		disturbances for fishing and for other users; influence on biota and fish resources;
perturbation on the sea bottom; alienation of water areas; technological disposals; discharges to atmosphere; accidental conditions
disturbances for fishing and for other users
Preparing of well-drillings testing of well-drillings
assembling the drill platform; construction of pipe-lines, shore buildings and etc. 		(see exploring drilling)
physical perturbations; disposals of liquid and solid wastes; disturbances for fishing (platforms, pipe-lines) and for other users
Exploitation drilling, technological transport and other working activities technological disposals at the drilling and recovery; accidental oil spills and disposals; alienation of water areas; disturbances for fishing and for other users
Completion and liquidation disassembly of platforms and pipe-lines, conservation of well-drillings and other operations disposals; alienation of water areas; disturbances for fishing and for other users

 

  Table 4 . Total characteristics of the influence on the water ecosystems and their biorecources at different activities of the oil- and gas deposit development [1].
Character of influence and
consequences 		Seismic
prospecting 		Construction of
platform and other 		Drilling
activity 		Transport by: Accidents
pipe-lines tankers
Physical effects on:
     Pelagic spieces
     Bottom biocenosis
     Bottom biotope
Disposals to atmosphere
Alienation of water areas
Disturbances for fishing
Perturbation in fish migration
Chemical pollution
Increase of water turbidity
Deterioration of commercial
quality of industrial species    
+
+
+
-
-
+
+
-
+
-
+
+
+
-
+
+
+
-
+
-
-
+
+
+
+
+
-
+
+
+
-
+
+
+
-
+
+
-
-
-
+
-
-
-
-
-
-
+
-
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
Notes: signs plus (+) and minus (-) mean respectively the presence and absence of the specific influences at different activities.

 

  Table 5 . Types of oil in Sakhalin Shelf area in respect of microelement content [2].
Group Type of concentration ratio V / Fe Oil Field
I V > Fe> Ni > Mo
V > Fe > Mo > Ni
V > Fe> Ni > Mo
V > Mo > Fe > Ni
V > Ni > Fe > Mo
V > Mo > Fe > Ni
V > Ni > Fe > Mo 		2.0
2.9
2.3
7.5
8.0
1.4
4.0 		Odoptu
Odoptu
Pil'tun-Astokhskoe
Odoptu
Odoptu
Pil't un-Astokhskoe
Arkutun-Daginskoe
II Fe > V > Ni > Mo
Fe > V > Ni > Mo
Fe > V > Mo > Ni
Fe > V > Ni > Mo
Fe > V > Ni > Mo
Fe > V > Mo > Ni
Fe > Ni > V > Mo
Fe > Ni > V > Mo
Fe > V > Ni > Mo
Fe > V > Ni > Mo 		0.6
0.7
0.4
0.4
1.5
0.7
0.4
0.5
0.9
0.8 		Pil't un-Astokhskoe
Pil't un-Astokhskoe
Pil't un-Astokhskoe
Pil't un-Astokhskoe
Pil't un-Astokhskoe
Pil't un-Astokhskoe
Daginskij area
Daginskij area
Daginskij area
Daginskij area
III Ni > Fe > V > Mo
Ni > Fe > V > Mo
Ni > V > Fe > Mo 		0.8
0.8
3 		Daginskij area
Daginskij area
Chaivo
  V > Fe > Mo > Ni 1.5 XIV layer in Chaivo