Offshore environmental protection becomes priority in Western Africa
TWMA, a leader in integrated drilling waste management and environmental solutions, announced today at the Oilfield Technology Conference (OTC) their first offshore processing project in West Africa. The 400-day contract is to supply TWMA’s industry-leading offshore processing services to support Glencore Exploration Cameroon Ltd’s (Glencore) West Africa drilling campaign.
The scope of work includes the installation of a TWMA TCC RotoMill and cuttings collection and distribution system (CCDS). This integrated approach provides a complete containment, treatment and disposal solution for capturing drill cuttings and associated fluids on-board the Atwood Aurora jack-up drilling rig. A team of experienced TWMA operators are managing the project on location.
As offshore production in Africa escalates, new operators penetrating the sector are being forced to consider implementing reliable methods of reducing the environmental impact of improperly disposed drill cuttings. The solution provided by TWMA treats all non-aqueous base fluid (NABF) drill cuttings by way of thermal desorption, recovering 99 percent of base oil for reuse by the operator. The inert rock powder and recovered water are disposed overboard for sea dispersal, in a process which is proven to have a near zero impact on the environment.
"The size of the rig combined with deck loading restrictions and a very tight design cycle made this a very interesting and challenging project from the outset,” said Kyle Duncan, TWMA project engineer for the Glencore installation. “In order to meet the project deadlines, TWMA’s engineering team travelled to Houston to complete a fast-track FEED phase with the client.”
Upon completion of the preliminary design works, TWMA finalized and delivered the full engineering design package within a three-week timeframe in order to obtain the client’s approval prior to mobilization.
This is one of several opportunities in the pipeline for TWMA, as legislation continues to evolve in the West Africa region and operators become increasingly aware of the environmental impact of their drilling operations. As a result, many are turning to experienced suppliers such as TWMA, to source the best environmental and operationally efficient solutions available.
“TWMA can provide operators with the optimum solutions for environmental performance, safety and operational efficiencies,” said Rob O’Neill, sales director for TWMA. “Increasingly clients are turning to TWMA because we understand the challenges associated with operating in environments where the regulatory framework is constantly evolving. The challenge for operators is being prepared for these changes, and TWMA has a range of solutions to support that.”
Each year, OTC attracts more than 80,000 attendees from over 110 countries and 2,500 exhibiting companies. OTC is organized and operated exclusively to promote and further the advance of scientific and technical knowledge of offshore resources and environmental matters.
To learn more about TWMA’s integrated drilling services and environmental solutions please visit www.twma.co.uk or stop by OTC booth 2165.
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