18
ENVIRONMENT REPORT
2016
Just over 31,000 tonnes of water-based fluid cuttings and around 10,000 tonnes of treated oil-based fluid cuttings
were discharged from offshore installations on the UKCS in 2015. This is approximately 5,500 tonnes less than was
discharged in total the previous year, reflecting the decline in cuttings generated due to reduced drilling activity.
The peak in cuttings discharged in 2013 in Figure 7 is due to more complex wells being drilled and is out of step
with the general downward trend in drilling.
Over 10,000 tonnes of oil-based fluid cuttings were also injected back into the reservoir (compared with
7,400 tonnes in 2014), which means the amount returned to shore last year declined from 82 per cent of the total
oil-based fluid cuttings to 76 per cent in 2015.
Figure 7: Drill Cuttings Discharged to Sea
0
10,000
20,000
30,000
40,000
50,000
60,000
70,000
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
Cuttings Discharged to Sea (Tonnes)
Cuttings from Oil-Based Fluids
Cuttings from Water-Based Fluids
Source: EEMS July 2016
Norske Olje & Gas reported a 13 per cent reduction in water-based fluid cuttings discharged to sea on the
Norwegian Continental Shelf to just under 100,000 tonnes in 2015. Injection of oil-based fluid cuttings increased
from 29 per cent of total oil-based fluid cuttings in 2014 to 33 per cent, while 2,460 tonnes of oil-based fluid
cuttings were discharged to sea.