Oil‐Field Brine

Abstract

The separation of oil and OFB is a logical consequence of the oil production process due to the fact that much more OFB than oil is more often produced, especially in older oil wells. However, until recently neither the oil drillers nor any governmental agency paid much attention to disposal of OFB as a by‐product of crude oil production. A simple procedure for OFB was diluting it in streams, rivers, and natural fresh and marine waterbodies. That practice took place until interest in crude oil production and consequently consumption of derivatives dramatically increased. Widespread oil production worldwide is constantly increasing, but the pollution aspects came to a focal point of environmental concern. To keep a high profit margin in the industry and satisfy strict environmental quality regulations, more sophisticated technologies for OFB treatment are becoming viable alternatives to the conventional OFB management practice.