Kuwait
Industries Overview
Soil Environment Conservation Policies by Kuwait
Not only international organizations like UN and FAO, but also the majority of countries all around the world have been promoting a variety of actions for sustainable soil conservation through policy support, establishment strategies and intergovernmental cooperation.
History
One hundred fourteen (114) square kilometres of the Kuwaiti land has been severely damaged due to the destruction of oil wells during the Iraqi invasion of 1990. Crude oil gushed forth from the damaged oil wells, forming huge oil lakes. Consequently, wet and dry oil lakes along with tarcrete crust were formed in low-lying areas of the desert. Contaminated soil piles were generated during the recovery phase to stop the spread of crude oil.
The United Nations Compensation Commission (UNCC) in December 2005 awarded funds to the State of Kuwait under its Decision 258; which sets forth guidelines to establish the follow-up program to monitor the technical and financial progress of the environmental remediation works regarding the contaminated features from the 1991 Gulf War. Under the Kuwait Environmental Remediation Program (KERP), remediation of an estimated 26 million cubic meters of oil contaminated soils has been approved by UNCC.
In June 2006, the Government of Kuwait formed the Kuwait National Focal Point (KNFP) who is responsible for the overall follow up and fulfillment of the Political Assurances provided to the Governing Council of the United Nations Compensation Commission (UNCC) by the state of Kuwait concerning the Follow-up Program for Environmental Awards. KNFP is intrusted to act as a liaison between the UNCC and affected stakeholders (e.g. Kuwait Oil Company (KOC), Kuwait Ministry of Defence(KMOD), Kuwait Environmental Public Authority (KEPA), Public Authority for Agriculture & Fish Resources (PAAF), etc.) for KERP program. In 2010, a letter of agreement was signed between KOC and KNFP for the purpose of executing the approved projects, and in 2012 the KOC Soil Remediation Group was established.
Soil Remediation Group Responsibility
Soil Remediation Group is responsible for planning and execution of remediation and restoration projects in the KOC oil field areas under Kuwait Environmental Remediation Program (KERP) and Sustainable Environmental Economical Development (SEED) project.
KERP- Kuwait Environmental Remediation Program
KERP is responsible for the remediation and rehabilitation of contaminated soil caused by the Iraqi invasion. The program is funded by the UNCC.
Types of Contaminated Soil
Wet Oil Lakes
Areas covered with oily liquid and highly weathered oil resulting from damaged oil wells. Wet oil Lakes occur in areas where oily liquid accumulated because of local topography.
Oil Contaminated piles
Oil-contaminated soil collected as mounds. The soil piles were made to stop the spread of oil flows caused by the destruction of the oil wells or clear areas with heavy oil contamination during firefighting.
Dry Oil Lakes
Areas covered with a thin and moderately hard dry black tar layer overlying hydrocarbon contaminated soil.
Tarcrete
Areas covered with a thin tar like solid layer without underlying hydrocarbon-contaminated soil (a result of the fallout of oil mist from the oil well fires).
Wellhead pits
Excavated pits constructed to store seawater used for fighting the oil well fires.
KERP Execution Works:
- Claim No. 500259
- Claim No.5000450
- Claim No. 5000454
Claim No. 500259
(Coastal & Marine resources)
Field execution works have been completed.Remediation and restoration of damage to coastal and marine resources by oil-contamination was completed through excavation, transportation and landfilling of oily contaminated material from coastal oil deposits, coastal oil trenches and weathered oil layers.
Claim No.5000450
(Remediation of Areas in and Around Wellhead Pits)
Field execution works for (Element 2) have been completed.Total of 163 (65 in NK and 98 in SEK) geographically stretched across Raudhatain, Sabriya, Burgan and Magwa oil fields are cleared from contaminated soil.
Claim No. 5000454
(Remediation of Areas Damaged by Oil Lakes, Oil-Contaminated Piles, Oil Trenches and Oil Spills)
This claim focused on the remediation of areas damaged by crude oil contamination within 114 km2 of KOC’s oilfields in the form of:
• Wet and Dry lakes
• Oil-contaminated piles
- More than 2,200,000 (m3) contaminated soil within oil fields have been UXO cleared, excavated and transported to the two engineered landfills in North & South Kuwait.
- All Wet Oil Lakes in North Kuwait have been cleared.
KERP Strategy:
In coordination with KNFP in an effort to be more environmentally conscious KOC were successful in obtaining approval of a new strategy called the Total Remediation Solution (TRS).
All oil contaminated soil TPH ranges can be remediated with BJC's technology..
KERP Projects in line with TRS strategy
Construction of Landfill Facilities for Hydrocarbon Contaminated Soils in South East/ North Kuwait
Two-engineered landfills were constructed and capped with a total capacity of 2.28 M〖m〗3 in North and South East Kuwait.
Excavation and Transportation of heavily contaminated soil to the engineered landfill
The landfills contain heavy oil contaminated soil that was excavated and transported from various features inside KOC field; such as wet oil lake, wellhead pits, coastal trench, coastal deposit, dry oil lake and piles. The contaminated soils were excavated and transported to landfills through NK E&T and SEK N&T projects.
UXO Program Phase-1 for North and South Kuwait Oilfields
The UXO contract is presently under execution, which is intended to clear unexploded ordinance in North and south Kuwait in preparation of a future North Kuwait remediation tender and part of the South Kuwait remediation tender.
Project Management Services for Kuwait Environmental Remediation Projects (KERP)
Previously, AMEC Foster wheeler was entrusted with this responsibility, but recently a Project Management Consultancy services replacement contract was signed with Worley to continue Consultancy Services for KERP projects.
North Kuwait Soil Remediation
Will consist of Excavation and transportation all soil from NK Oil fields and use of combination of insitu and ex situ bioremediation and treatment technologies to remediate oil contaminated soil and non-treatable material to be contained in the expansion of the existing engineered landfill. There will be two contracts for NK Oil fields for an approximately 2 million m3 oil contaminated soil for each project contract.
South Kuwait Soil Remediation
Consist of Excavation and transportation, clearance of over 60 % of SK oil fields and utilize a combination of in situ and ex situ bioremediation, treatment technologies, landfill containment for untreatable material. There will be three contracts for SK Oilfields of approximately 3 million m3 of oil contaminated soil for each project contract.
Risk Based Assessment
A study KOC is implementing to review data & utilize conceptual model to measure extent of contamination in an attempt to avoid unnecessary remediation.