Author(s): Anton Purnama; Baawainyvb Sarma
Linked Author(s):
Keywords: CORMIX; Effluent discharges; Marine outfall; Minal Al Fahal; Oman
Abstract: A submerged marine outfall at a distance of 150 m from the beach has recently been installed for discharging the drained water from crude oil tanks at the effluent treatment facility at Minal Al Fahal terminal. In order to meet the marine disposal limits of Oman, CORMIX was applied to simulate effluent plumes to predict, within a circular mixing zone with a radius of 150 m from the outfall, the concentration levels of certain components such as biochemical oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand, dissolved oxygen, mercury, p H, phenol, total petroleum hydrocarbon, temperature and salinity. The effluent discharge density is greater than the surrounding ambient water density, and thus the effluent plume is negatively buoyant and will tend to sink towards the seabed. The potential benthic impact due to a concentrated effluent plume should be considered. Due to uncertainty in the input data, CORMIX simulations were carried out by varying the ambient current velocity, the effluent discharge density, and the effluent flow rate. The results showed that the permissible concentration levels are met within the regulatory mixing zone, except phenol. Hence, further treatment of effluent at the terminal is still needed in order to meet the marine discharge limits.
Year: 2010