Here are the specific laboratory analyses and tests routinely carried out in lab for environmental studies, regulatory compliance, and monitoring in the oil & gas industry.

Produced Water / Effluent Water Analyses

  1. pH, salinity, TDS, conductivity
  2. Oil & Grease (n-hexane extractable)
  3. Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons (TPH C6–C40)
  4. BTEX + MTBE (Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene, Xylenes)
  5. Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) – 16 EPA priority + alkylated
  6. Phenols (total & individual)
  7. Heavy metals (Pb, Cd, Cr, Ni, V, Hg, As, Zn, Cu, Fe) by ICP-OES/MS
  8. Anions (Cl⁻, SO₄²⁻, HCO₃⁻, NO₃⁻)
  9. Total Suspended Solids (TSS), COD, BOD₅

Groundwater & Surface Water Monitoring

  1. Same suite as produced water above
  2. Microbiological (Total coliforms, E. coli, Pseudomonas)

Soil & Sediment Analyses (Pre/Post-Spillage & Remediation)

  1. Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons (TPH) banded C6–C10, >C10–C16, >C16–C35, >C35–C40
  2. BTEX & PAHs (including benzo(a)pyrene)
  3. Total Recoverable Hydrocarbons (TRH)
  4. Heavy metals (same list as water)
  5. pH, EC, CEC, nutrients (N, P, K), organic matter
  6. Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons – low & high molecular weight
  7. Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)
  8. Grain size distribution (for remediation endpoint)

Air Quality & Emission Monitoring

  1. Particulate Matter (PM₁₀, PM₂.₅, TSP)
  2. SOx, NOx, CO, H₂S, VOCs (photo-ionisation detector + canister sampling)
  3. Methane & Non-Methane Hydrocarbons
  4. Flare combustion efficiency (CE ≥ 98% required) – CO/CO₂ ratio, unburnt hydrocarbons

Drilling Fluids & Cuttings Analyses

  1. Oil-based mud (OBM) on cuttings (Retort % oil, TPH)
  2. Synthetic-based mud (SBM) – same
  3. Heavy metals in cuttings
  4. Barite purity & contaminant check (Hg, Cd)

Oil Spill Fingerprinting & Forensics

  1. GC-FID chromatogram + diagnostic ratios
  2. GC-MS biomarkers (terpanes, steranes, pristane/phytane)
  3. PAH distribution & alkylated homologues

Waste & Sludge Characterization

  1. Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons
  2. Flash point, ignitability, corrosivity, reactivity (hazardous waste classification)
  3. Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP) for metals
  4. Paint Filter Test (free liquid)

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