Exposure and lung function in oil drillers offshore

There has been much public attention focusing on the chemical work environment in Norwegian oil and gas industry offshore. The core of the oil production is the drilling operations for oil and gas. This activity generates pollution of the work air for the workers involved in this activity. Traditionally oil mist/oil vapour has been determined for the purpose of surveillance, but these measurements only reflect a part of the chemical work environment to which the workers are exposed.

The exposure to the workers in oil drilling is complex. Generally the drilling fluids consist of mineral oils. In addition, a number of compounds are added to the mineral oil. During drilling the drilling fluids are exposed to high temperatures and high pressure. It is therefore possible chemicals that originally are contained in the drilling fluid may change chemically due to thermal decomposition. Thus oil drillers may be exposed to the original drilling fluid, potential decomposition products, and particles originating from the rocks and oil/gas.

Scientific reports dealing with lung diseases in humans exposed to oil mist or oil vapour in oil drilling or exposed to such compounds in general are scarce. The few animal studies that have been carried out suggest that high exposure to mineral oil based oil mist may result in pathological alterations of the alveoli of the lungs, while the bronchi appear to be less vulnerable.

We will in this study focus on possible lung diseases in offshore workers engaged in drilling operations, and thus are exposed to mud during this activity. The aims are to study if current exposure in drilling operations has untoward pulmonary effects, and if previous higher exposure has induced lung fibrosis.

Project page in Norwegian