Rapid treatment of NORM-contaminated water
Produced water is the largest waste stream in oil and gas recovery, often containing hydrocarbons, chemicals, heavy metals, and naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM).
During a decommissioning project, the client needed to flush their subsea pipelines to the Floating Production, Storage, and Offloading vessel. This process generated two contaminated water streams: produced water and seawater used for flushing. Environmental permits prevented discharge overboard.
Client
International oil and gas operator
Type
NORM, Decommissioning, Environmental Services
Location
Port of Tyne, UK
Duration
14 days’ notice, project completed on schedule
At a glance
- A client needed to safely collect, store, treat and dispose of - or reuse - 25,000 tonnes of NORM-contaminated water on extremely short notice
- ASCO mapped the entire workflow to identify the fastest and safest methods – turning a logistical challenge into a smooth, fully managed environmental solution
- The project was completed on time, on budget and without incident
Approach
We began with a detailed assessment of the client’s operational constraints, regulatory requirements, and site conditions. We mapped out the entire workflow from collection to disposal or reuse, identifying the fastest and safest methods. All permits, tank storage, and logistics were arranged before execution.
The produced water was offloaded at the quayside in just one day and stored for settling. Testing identified contaminants and guided optimal treatment, while our tanker fleet transported 30-tonne loads to specialist processing plants. Our embedded team oversaw every step, providing real-time operational management and client confidence without requiring additional personnel.
The challenge was clear: safely collect, store, treat, and dispose of - or reuse - 25,000 tonnes of NORM-contaminated water on extremely short notice, fully compliant with environmental legislation.
Impact
The project was completed on time, on budget, and without any health, safety, and environmental incidents.
- 25,000+ tonnes of produced water separated into oil and water
- Water treated to meet environmental standards before discharge
- Recovered oil recycled as secondary liquid fuel
- Fully managed regulatory compliance for client peace of mind