Drilling fluids: presence of hazardous BTEXs and crystalline silica

Abstract

In the oil and gas industry occupational health risks due to drilling fluids is severe. Mixing room, shale shaker room and drill floor are sites where workers are highly exposed to air pollutants, hazardous dust and even substances generated via drilling fluids associated activities. Barite, calcium carbonate and linear paraffin or olef in-based oil are three types of chemical that are greatly used in huge quantities to prepare drilling fluids. These drilling fluids contain hazardous substances and pose health risks. Due to the occupational health risk, Occupational Safety and Health Administration OSHA Europe and USA have issued guidelines for the permissible exposure limit (PEL) to be at 5 mg/m3 for barium sulphate, 10 mg/m3 for calcium carbonate, 0.05 mg/m3 for crystalline silica and 0.05 mg/m3 for oil mists. Therefore, this study identified the presence of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene (BTEX) ionic mists and crystalline silica in the drilling fluids. The grain size distribution of additives used in the drilling fluids was also determined. The results showed the presence of BTEX and crystalline silica based on random sampling. Therefore, the existing control measures are necessary to reduce the occupational health risks. As a control measure, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Internet of Things (IoT) are necessary to be introduced for the automation of drilling fluids associated activities.