The Department of Marine Environmental Technology  has over the last years seen an increasing level of activity in specialised analyses of produced water and organic tissue, as well as fingerprinting of oil spills. Analyses of PAH and phenolic components has been a primary focus in this work. We have also utilised state-of-the-art methods for monitoring of seawater (filtering-extraction devices, semi-permeable membrane devices (SPMD’s) and  mussels as bio-extraction devices).

Our analytical laboratories are equipped with necessary instrumentation for performing high quality sample processing and analyses, and employ methods designed for a variety of sample matrixes and concentration levels. Maintaining a high level of competence in interpretation of analytical results  is essential when providing expert advice to  customers.

The department has considerable experience in environmental analysis, and has since 1981 participated in more than 60 environmental monitoring surveys in the vicinity of Norwegian offshore petroleum installations in the North Sea and the Norwegian Sea. We have been responsible for both execution of surveys, and chemical analysis of samples (sediment, water, mussels, fish and SPMD’s). In addition to environmental surveys for the offshore petroleum sector, we also have an increasing activity in environmental analyses for land-based operations.
The department has a leading position in numerical modelling (oil drift, fate of oil and oil components in marine environment, eco-toxicological modelling). Models are used as a tool for establishing relevant sampling stations, e.g. for sampling in the water column in regions with multiple-point discharges of hydrocarbons.

Produced water analyses
The Department of Marine Environmental Technology offers analysis of produced water according to the requirements of the Norwegian Pollution Control Authority, and has been a driving force to develop and establish the methods as an industrial standard. The analyses include BTEX, PAH,s NPDs, phenol and alkylated phenols. We have successfully participated in several round-robin tests.

Contact at SINTEF Materials and Chemistry: Alf Glein Melbye