Chemical composition of emissions from the Kuwait oil fires

Abstract

Airborne measurements in the srnoke from the Kuwait oil fires in May and June 1991 indicate that the combined oil and gas emissions were equivalent to the consumption of about 4.6 million barrels of oil per day. The combustion was relatively efficient, with about 96% of the fuel carbon burned emitted as CO2. Particulate smoke emissions averaged 2% of the fuel burned, of which about 20% was soot. About two‐thirds of the mass of the smoke was accounted for by salt, soot, and sulfate. The salt most likely originated from oil field brines, which were ejected from the wells along with the oil. The salt accounts for the fact that many of the plumes were white. SO2 and NOx were removed from the smoke at rates of about 6 and 22% per hour, respectively. The high salt and sulfate contents explain why a large fraction of the particles in the smoke were efficient cloud condensation nuclei.

State of the art satellite and airborne marine oil spill remote sensing: Application to the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill

“…The Kuwait oil fires created extensive plumes that were tracked by geostationary and polar orbiting satellites (Fig. 14A) in support of air-sampling missions (Ferek et al, 1992). For example, data documented the relatively narrow width of the plumes (20-50 km) over hundreds of kilometers (Fig.…”

Rate constants for the reactions of chlorine atoms with a series of unsaturated aldehydes and ketones at 298 K: structure and reactivity

“…[1][2][3][4][5][6] In addition, chlorine atom chemistry has been observed in the Arctic at polar sunrise [7][8][9][10][11][12][13] and may have occurred in the plumes from the burning of oil wells in Kuwait due to the presence of brine. [14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21] Molecular chlorine, Cl 2 , a precursor to atomic chlorine has been measured in marine air masses at concentrations up to $150 ppt (parts per trillion). 22 Non-HCl inorganic gaseous chlorine compounds, hypothesized to be mainly Cl 2 ranging from 13 to 127 ppt were measured indirectly using mist chambers at coastal sites.…”

An overview of the oil lakes in Kuwait: The problem and remedial methods

“…The pollution in the Kuwaiti land environment has originated from three major sources: [1] damaged wells (not on fire) and the oil gathering centers; [2] burning wells during the extinguishing activities which contributed to standing oil lakes near the oil wells; and [3] trenches made by the Iraqi troops for military purposes. Further, atmospheric fall-out during the oil fires had significant impacts on the soil environment.…”

“…As such, classifying hydrocarbons exhibiting similar properties into a matrix of groups is the usual approach used to trace crude oil contamination. Five structural groups of crude oil are suggested to be analyzed (4): [1] normal alkanes (easily identified, well defined properties, and rapidly degradable); [2] isoprenoids or isoalkanes (very resistant to biodegradation); [3] branched alkanes and cycloalkanes (difficult to identify); [4] aromatics (fairly well defined, more soluble in water than other hydrocarbons); and [5] polar residues (mainly sulfur, oxygen, and nitrogen compounds, poorly identified). However, the general characteristics of Kuwaiti oil and a simulated weathered Kuwaiti crude oil are documented (5,6).…”