8.2 Sources of Petroleum-Related Water Pollutants
In the petroleum industries, huge quantities of chemicals are involved for exploration
of oil-gas, processing of fractions including water treatment to meet up market
necessities that generate wastes. Water pollution is caused by the existence of
solid, liquid and gaseous pollutants in quantities above allowable level as well as
addition of heat to water, thereby affecting water quality adversely (Olajire 2014).
The sources of hydrocarbon-related water pollutants are mainly from oil exploration
industries, petroleum refineries and petrochemical units (textile industries, fertilizers,
plastics and polymer industries) as well as by oil spillage during storage, handling
and transportation (Patwardhan 2008). Figure 8.1 shows the sources of petroleumrelated wastewater in petroleum industry.
8.2.1 Oil and Gas Industry
The exploration and production of oil-gas are increasing in leaps and bounds due to
the regular rise in demand of fuel. The main sources of water pollutants resulting
from exploration and production activities are drilling fluids, hydraulic fluids,
Fig. 8.1 Sources of petroleum-related wastewater in petroleum industry
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M. Samanta and D. Mitra