Produced Water: Environmental Issues/ Technological Solution of the Nigeria Depletion Era

ABSTRACT Environmental literatures have been greatly concerned with possible detrimental effect of continued produced water discharged in offshore and onshore areas. While it remains a major policy for the operating companies in Oil production to be environmental friendly in achieving their goal of maximum petroleum exploitation, certain natural phenomenon tends to pull a negative effect on the production of Produced water as an inevitable associate of crude oil. As the Depletion of crude oil reservoirs in Nigeria becomes more evident by nature of maturing field, the production of Produced water, which varies directly as Depletion will be increasing at almost a geometric rate that effective treatment of this effluent may elude the various Operating companies. With a case study of field F in the Niger Delta, this paper technically reviewed the environmental issues of the pollution effect of Produced Water, inductively analyzed the Depletion Rate of the case study and recommended technological solution to this problem. Illustratively, a schematic flow diagram relating the technological solution was made, delineating the various option of Produced water Disposal Systems that are within expectable standards, conforming to flora and fauna safety.