[en] The north western ethylene pipeline is the final link between Shell's oil and gas fields in the North Sea and its petrochemical complexes in Cheshire. The natural gas from which ethylene is obtained comes from the Brent and central fields in the North Sea. Environmental impacts are discussed in this paper covering topics as follow: Regulatory and legal aspects; environmental assessment during planning and design; environmental control during construction; environmental management during operation; environmental controls at sensitive sites on the north western ethylene pipeline: some examples. 11 refs., 2 figs

[en] In the beginning of the heat season 1997/98, we started to use natural gas as a second fuel (the basic fuel is heavy fuel oil). Preparations were made for the use of natural gas in half of the TO 'Istok' Plant capacity (147 MW) in Skopje (Macedonia). During operation on natural gas, we noted that the levels of vibration and noise are higher when operating on heavy fuel oil. This was the reason why an investigation was carried out through a special company working on that issue. The investigation was made by measurement of vibration levels and noise at the boiler furnace in various orientation and levels. This material gives the results and conclusions from that investigation. A comparison has been made of the dynamic conditions and noise levels of the same boilers during operation on heavy fuel oil and on natural gas. We also compared the dynamic conditions and noise levels of different boilers during operations on natural gas, with different equipment for the atomizing of the natural gas. Conclusions on the dynamic conditions of the investigated boilers while operating on heavy fuel oil and on natural gas are given at the end of this material. (Author)

[en] The purpose of this report is to describe current water quality and the chemistry of oil, natural gas, and brine in the Mosquito Creek Lake area. Additionally, these data are used to characterize water quality in the Mosquito Creek Lake area in relation to past oil and natural gas well drilling and production. To meet the overall objective, several goals for this investigation were established. These include (1) collect water-quality and subsurface-gas data from shallow sediments and rock that can be used for future evaluation of possible effects of oil and natural gas well drilling and production on water supplies, (2) characterize current surface-water and ground-water quality as it relates to the natural occurrence and (or) release of oil, gas, and brine (3) sample and chemically characterize the oil in the shallow Mecca Oil Pool, gas from the Berea and Cussewago Sandstone aquifers, and the oil, gas, and brine from the Clinton sandstone, and (4) identify areas where aquifers are vulnerable to contamination from surface spills at oil and natural gas drilling and production sites

[en] Emission reduction requires a multitude of individual measures. As immediate measure, the author recommends that the fuels preferably used in the household and trade sectors, e.g. in the new German Laender, should be those with the lowest specific emission ratings and with optimum conservation technologies. Owing to the favourable properties of natural gas and the vast potential of mature application technologies, this energy source has a key role on the heat market. The increasing resources in regions located favourably with a view to energy supply in Western Europe are an excellent basis for providing additional natural gas for the German heat market. (orig.)

[en] The changing attitudes of the public toward waste and environmental pollution by the oil and gas industry are discussed with reference to historical anecdotes from the Alberta oil and gas industry. In the Turner Valley, Alberta's first oil and gas field, residents used sour gas in their homes without pressure regulators, adverse health effects from hydrogen sulfide were common in the industry, and hydrogen sulfide scrubbed at the gas plant was simply vented to the atmosphere. In the late 1800s, a gas well blew wild in northern Alberta for 21 years until it was capped. At a well near Leduc, Alberta, a blowout in 1948 spilled 1.4 million bbl of oil onto a field, yet a spill eight times that of the Exxon Valdez spill is little remembered. In the 1920s, the city of Calgary begged Imperial Oil to build its refinery along the Bow River, and the refinery has been leaking oil into the river ever since. The change in attitudes toward an environmental consciousness is attributed to such factors as a higher living standard, less open spaces, a realization that economic growth is not linear, a lack of trust in the oil industry, and better knowledge of the problems with waste and pollution

[en] Energy efficiency and source air pollutant emission factors of gas heaters, gas engine heat pumps, and electric heat pumps for domestic heating have been evaluated and compared. The analysis shows that with the present state of technology, gas engine heat pumps have the highest energy efficiency followed by electric heat pumps and then gas heaters. Electric heat pumps produce more than twice as much NO_x, and comparable CO₂ and CO per unit of useful heating energy compared to natural gas heaters. CO production per unit of useful heating energy from gas engine heat pumps without any emission control is substantially higher than electric heat pumps and natural gas heaters. NO_x production per unit of useful heating energy from natural gas engine heat pumps (using lean burn technology) without any emission control is about the same as effective NO_x production from electric heat pumps. Gas engine heat pumps produce about one-half CO₂ compared to electric heat pumps

[en] This paper reports that U.S. environmental Protection Agency promulgated new regulations in November 1990 that require numerous industrial facilities throughout the country to obtain National Pollution discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits for storm water discharges. These new regulations will directly affect the gas processing industry since certain facilities will be required to obtain a permit. Facilities requiring a permit are those that contribute to a violation of a water quality standard or hae had a discharge of storm water resulting in the discharge of a reportable quantity for which notice is required under the Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) or the federal Clean Water Act at any time since November 16, 1987. All other gas processing facilities are not presently required to submit a permit application

[en] Natural gas trade between Canada and the U.S. is massive, with 1.3 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) exported to the U.S. in 1989, producing revenues of $3 billion. The National Energy Board, which regulates Canadian gas exports, suggests that net exports will increase by a further Tcf by 2007. A recent case before the Board involved a proposed TransCanada Pipelines (TCPL) facility expansion to serve northeastern U.S.markets. In this case, TCPL's application was denied, in large part on environmental grounds involving issues in the affected shore zones of Lake Ontario. Despite the international significance of the project, the Board placed particular emphasis on the perspective of the shore zone involved, and conducted an exhaustive analysis of the myriad of environmental authorizations involved, both in Canada and the U.S., in determining that the proposed facilities were not consistent with the Canadian public interest. Specifically, the Board considered individual, municipal, county, state and provincial environmental concerns and requirements, in addition to its own statutory mandate and duties imposed by the federal environmental assessment review process. Details are provided of the Board's justification for the adverse decision. 2 figs

[en] Prior to the introduction of natural gas pipelines in the 1950's, gas for lighting and heating in the US was produced from coal or oil at local manufacturing gas plants. By-products and wastes generated at these plants commonly were disposed of on site. The major wastes, which include tar and oil residues and sludges, spent oxides, and ash materials, can consist of a complex mixture of hundreds of aromatic organic compounds as well as cyanides and metals. An investigation was initiated in January 1989 in the vicinity of an abandoned manufactured gas plant in Albany, Georgia, to evaluate the hydrogeology and contamination of the area, and to test study techniques that may have application in similar situations. Geologic formations of interest to this investigation include, in descending order, unconsolidated sand and clay layers, The Ocala Limestone, and the Lisbon Formation. Surficial fill overlies the sand and clay layers throughout the study area. High concentrations of aromatic hydrocarbons and various metals were detected in the unconsolidated sediments in the vicinity of the abandoned gas plant. Maximum concentrations of hydrocarbons detected sediment samples included 560,000 microg/kg naphthalene, 73,000 microg/kg ethylbenzene, 28,000 microg/kg benzene, and 24,000 microg/kg toluene. These higher concentrations of hydrocarbons were present in the vicinity of the former gas holding tanks. In that area, contamination extends at least to the depth of the contact between the unconsolidated sand and clay layers and the Ocala Limestone

[en] The effects of sour gas well blowout emissions on livestock are reviewed. Guidelines for safe drilling operations in hydrogen sulfide environments, general hazards and characteristics of hydrogen sulfide, and guidelines for field investigation into the effects of sour gas and acid emissions on livestock are discussed. A case history involving the Ross No. 2 gas well blowout of July 1985 in Rankin County, Mississippi is presented. The blowout lasted for 72 days, and at peak discharge the 500 ppM radius was ca 3.5 miles. A cattle embryo transplant operation located one half mile from the well was affected by the blowout. Examination by a local veterinarian of the cattle demonstrated eye irritation, epiphora, nasal discharge and coughing. After one and a half months of exposure, most animals showed clinical signs of a severe dry hacking cough, epiphora, dry rales over the thoracic inlet, and a bronchial popping sound over the lateral thorax. All animals had eye irritation. Of 55 animals showing signs of respiratory distress and eye irritations, 15 were still clinically ill in May of 1986. 7 refs., 1 tab