Performance-based risk management systems (PBRMS) in the Arctic drilling waste handling operation

As the concerns about the potential environmental impacts of the drilling wastes heighten in the Arctic, regulatory authorities have tightened the environmental controls. Hence, forecasts of environmental and health risks, associated with the drilling wastes, can provide the vital information needed for the sustainable resource development decisions. The aim of this paper is to foster an integrated interdisciplinary understanding of technical and operational risks associated with drilling wastes and their management by implementing the performance-based risk regime. The paper critically examines the role of performance-based risk assessment in drilling waste management by scrutinizing the methods used, as well as the underlying theories and assumptions. Furthermore, the paper studies the risk factors involved throughout the logistical chain of handling of drilling wastes in the Arctic region.