U.S. patent application number 13/969169 was filed with the patent office on 2014-02-20 for method for absorbing fluids from drill cuttings.
This patent application is currently assigned to Anchor Drilling Fluids USA, Inc.. The applicant listed for this patent is Anchor Drilling Fluids USA, Inc.. Invention is credited to David Cunningham, Brian J. Hallett.
Application Number | 20140048479 13/969169 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 50099321 |
Filed Date | 2014-02-20 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140048479 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Hallett; Brian J. ; et
al. |
February 20, 2014 |
METHOD FOR ABSORBING FLUIDS FROM DRILL CUTTINGS
Abstract
A method of treating drill cuttings at a well drilling site. The
method includes separating the drill cuttings from a drilling fluid
at the well drilling site; contacting the separated drill cuttings
with an effective amount of an absorbent material to absorb free
oil from the drill cuttings into the absorbent material; and
disposing of the drill cuttings. The absorbent material may include
a thermo-set phenolic resin with an open cell matrix and a
heat-treated peat moss.
Inventors: |
Hallett; Brian J.; (Oklahoma
City, OK) ; Cunningham; David; (Oklahoma City,
OK) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Anchor Drilling Fluids USA, Inc. |
Oklahoma City |
OK |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
Anchor Drilling Fluids USA,
Inc.
Oklahoma City
OK
|
Family ID: |
50099321 |
Appl. No.: |
13/969169 |
Filed: |
August 16, 2013 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61684374 |
Aug 17, 2012 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
210/602 ;
210/690 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E21B 21/066
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
210/602 ;
210/690 |
International
Class: |
E21B 21/06 20060101
E21B021/06 |
Claims
1. A method of treating drill cuttings at a well drilling site,
comprising: separating the drill cuttings from a drilling fluid at
the well drilling site; contacting the separated drill cuttings
with an effective amount of an absorbent material comprising a
thermo-set phenolic resin with an open cell matrix to absorb free
oil from the drill cuttings into the absorbent material; and
disposing of the drill cuttings.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the absorbent material is in the
form of granules, prilled granules, or powders.
3. The method of claim 1, further comprising conveying the drilling
cuttings to a drill cuttings holder prior to contacting the
drilling cuttings with the effective amount of the absorbent
material.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of contacting the drill
cuttings with the absorbent material includes the step of mixing
the absorbent material with the drill cuttings.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the absorbent material further
includes an amount of heat-treated peat moss.
6. The method of claim 5, wherein the heat-treated peat moss is
hydrophobic.
7. The method of claim 5, wherein the heat-treated peat moss
includes bioremediation bacteria.
8. A method of treating drill cuttings at a well drilling site,
comprising: separating the drill cuttings from a drilling fluid at
the well drilling site; contacting the separated drill cuttings
with an effective amount of an absorbent material comprising a
heat-treated peat moss to absorb free oil from the drill cuttings
into the absorbent material; and disposing of the drill
cuttings.
9. The method of claim 8, further comprising conveying the drilling
cuttings to a drill cuttings holder prior to contacting the
drilling cuttings with the effective amount of the absorbent
material.
10. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of contacting the drill
cuttings with the absorbent material includes the step of mixing
the absorbent material with the drill cuttings.
11. The method of claim 8, wherein the heat-treated peat moss is
hydrophobic.
12. The method of claim 8, wherein the heat-treated peat moss
includes bioremediation bacteria.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional
Application No. 61/684,374 filed Aug. 17, 2012, which is
incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
BACKGROUND
[0002] 1. Field of the Inventive Concepts
[0003] The inventive concepts disclosed herein generally relate to
a method for treating contaminated drill cuttings before disposal,
and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a method
for absorbing fluids from contaminated drill cuttings so that the
drill cuttings can be safely disposed.
[0004] 2. Brief Description of Related Art
[0005] In rotary drilling operations, a fluid, commonly know as
drilling mud, is utilized for maintenance, cooling, and lubrication
of the rotary drill bit, for maintaining a hydrostatic pressure
inside the borehole to prevent blowouts, and for removing drill
cuttings produced as the drill bit cuts through the formation.
Drilling mud is generally a slurry of liquids and certain solids,
and may be water-based or oil-based depending on the liquid used to
make the slurry. Some drilling applications allow for the use of
either water-based or oil-based drilling mud, while other
applications require one or the other for optimal completion of the
well. The type and specific composition of the drilling mud used
may change during the course of the drilling operation.
[0006] Drilling mud is generally circulated through the drill pipe,
through openings in the drill bit, and upward through the borehole
by a drilling mud system. Drilling mud systems generally include a
mud-holding tank at the well surface and a network of pumps,
mixers, and mud supply lines which convey the drilling mud through
the system. During rotary drilling operations, drilling mud is
pumped from the mud-holding tank, through the mud supply lines,
down through the well bore at the desired rate and is returned to
the surface of the well bore.
[0007] The return drilling mud carries with it the drill cuttings
from the bottom of the borehole. Drill cuttings comprise the solids
or liquid material produced as a result of the rotary drill
advancing through the well bore, and may include solids such as
various size rocks fragments, soil, sand, debris, hydrocarbons,
minerals, and other solids or liquids present in the formation
through which the wellbore is drilled. Drill cuttings removed from
a borehole may be comprised of shale, sand, hard clays, or shell
and are often coated with, or contain, residual contaminants from
the drilling mud, or from the borehole.
[0008] When the return drilling mud, along with the carried drill
cuttings, is returned to the surface, it is delivered to a
screening device known as a "shale shaker" which serves as a sieve
for removing the carried drill cuttings from the drilling mud. The
shale shaker, which normally sits above the mud storage area, is
essentially a vibrating screen that is used to separate the drill
cuttings from the return drilling mud. The drilling mud falls by
gravity through the screen into the mud-holding tank, and the
cuttings pass over the end of the screen. When the drill cuttings
have been removed from the drilling mud by the shale shaker, the
drilling mud is recirculated through the drilling mud system. The
drill cuttings separated from the drilling mud are collected and
conveyed into a storage tank or into a storage pit for storage,
further treatment, and disposal.
[0009] A problem long encountered is that the drill cuttings which
have been processed by a shale shaker retain a significant amount
of fluid contaminants on their surfaces. In some instances, the
cuttings are merely passed from the shale shaker into an open pit,
where the solids are allowed to settle to the bottom of the pit,
and the fluids rise above the solids and are skimmed off the top of
the pit. However, as is often the case, when a drilling mud system
such as an oil-base mud is used, the cuttings are usually coated
with undesirable contaminants, e.g., oil or other hydrocarbons
which adhere to the surfaces of the cuttings and are difficult to
remove by settling alone. If these contaminated cuttings are
disposed directly into the soil, there is a risk that fluids may
leach off the cuttings and contaminate adjacent lands or
groundwater. Due to this threat of possible pollution, a variety of
governmental regulations have been enacted to mandate the safe
disposal of drill cuttings and to regulate the use of oil-based
drilling muds in drilling operations.
[0010] Several methods have been suggested to process, store, and
dispose of drill cuttings. One such method involves transporting
drill cuttings to off-site disposal facilities. Transporting the
drill cuttings from a well site to a disposal facility, whether
from an onshore or an offshore drilling location is inefficient,
because of the costs and added potential for spills during transit
associated with transporting the bulky, heavy drill cuttings.
Further, access to some well sites, such as offshore drilling rigs,
or well sites located in remote territories, is difficult, or
limited. In addition, contaminated drill cuttings must still
undergo some treatment to remove or render inert any associated
contaminates prior to their disposal at the disposal facility. Such
disposal facilities may utilize deep wells whereby hazardous waste
can be injected back into the earth or mixed with chemicals, such
as lye and fly ash, which render the materials acceptable for land
reclamation. Disposal sites may also provide centrifuges as a means
of removing fluids from the drill cuttings and rely heavily on
polymers added to the effluent to render the discharge liquids safe
for reintroduction into the environment.
[0011] Because of the economical and logistical challenges of
transporting unprocessed drill cuttings to remote locations for
processing and disposal, several attempts have been made to develop
a process for decontaminating and safely disposing of drill
cuttings onsite. Several systems have been developed to process
drill cuttings onsite, such as by washing drill cuttings with
surfactants, removing fluids by pressing, centrifuging, or
compacting the drill cuttings, or by blending or mixing the drill
cuttings with chemicals such as lye or ash to absorb fluids from
the drill cuttings. Each of those systems, however, has
disadvantages that render them unsatisfactory for wide commercial
implementation.
[0012] For example, some systems are inefficient due to the
non-uniform size, and highly abrasive nature of the solids present
in the drill cuttings. These properties render removing fluids by
mechanic means costly and inefficient, and make such mechanical
devices prone to malfunctions and render them expensive to operate
and maintain. Some prior art systems grind up the drill-cuttings to
increase fluid-removal efficiency, but the grinding process
introduces undesirable time, expense, and potential for device
malfunctions. In addition, heavy equipment is difficult to
transport, and increases surface area needed for the wellsite.
[0013] Other prior art systems utilize chemicals, such as
surfactants, to wash the drill cuttings and remove the contaminant
fluids. In some cases a portion of the surfactant solution, which
is rich in fine drill cuttings and adherent drilling fluids, is run
through one or more hydrocyclone separators which discharge the
fine drill cuttings in solution separated from the larger, cleansed
drill cuttings. However, while such techniques may be successful in
cleaning the cuttings, the handling and disposal of large volumes
of wash solution and the equipment necessary for washing the
cuttings detract from the overall effectiveness of this type of
system.
[0014] Another system suggested for offshore rigs is to burn
contaminants off the cuttings with high intensity lamps. However,
due to the increase risk of fire and the difficulty of exposing all
surfaces of the cuttings equally to the lamps, the type of system
is unfeasible in most instances.
[0015] Finally, some attempts have been made to mix or blend
various materials such as clay, soil, lime, ash, or other solids
with the drill cuttings, such that the fluids are retained in the
resulting solid mixture and are thus prevented from leaching off
the drill cuttings. The processed drill cuttings are then buried
underground well above the groundwater table, but below the root
depth of the local plant species. Such process is however fraught
with inefficiencies. For example, large volumes and weights of
expensive solid materials such as lime, lye, or ash, have to be
transported to the well site. Further, the currently utilized
materials are inefficient and may leach contaminants into the
environment over time, resulting in potential long-term liability
for oilfield operators.
[0016] Therefore, a need exists for an improved method for
absorbing fluids from contaminated drill cuttings onsite. It is to
such a method that the inventive concepts disclosed herein are
directed.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIVE CONCEPTS
[0017] The inventive concepts disclosed herein provide a method for
treating contaminated drill cuttings at an onsite location by
absorbing fluid contaminants from the drill cuttings, so that the
dry treated cuttings can be safely disposed of onsite.
[0018] The inventive concepts disclosed herein involve separating
the drill cuttings from the drilling mud and mixing the
contaminated drill cuttings with an absorbent material comprising a
thermo-set plastic made from a phenolic resin compound with an open
cell matrix in the form of granules, prilled granules, or powders.
In another version, the absorbent material may be a heat-treated
peat moss. The contaminated drill cuttings will normally have some
fluids, such as oil, absorbed therein, and may typically also have
free fluids adhering to the various surfaces thereof. The fluids
adhering to the drill cuttings will contact, and be absorbed and
held by the absorbent material as the mixing takes place. After the
drill cuttings and absorbent material are mixed, substantially all
the free fluids are absorbed and bound by the absorbent material in
the mixture. This mixture can now be safely disposed of onsite
(e.g., directly into native soil), without the risk of any
significant amount of fluids being washed or leaching therefrom to
pollute the environment.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
[0019] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an exemplary embodiment of a
system for absorbing fluids from drill cuttings according to the
inventive concepts disclosed herein.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTIVE CONCEPTS
[0020] Before explaining at least one embodiment of the inventive
concepts disclosed herein in detail, it is to be understood that
the inventive concepts are not limited in their application to the
details of construction and the arrangement of the components or
steps or methodologies set forth in the following description or
illustrated in the drawings. The inventive concepts disclosed
herein are capable of other embodiments or of being practiced or
carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the
phraseology and terminology employed herein is for the purpose of
description only and should not be regarded as limiting the
inventive concepts disclosed and claimed herein in any way.
[0021] In the following detailed description of embodiments of the
inventive concepts, numerous specific details are set forth in
order to provide a more thorough understanding of the inventive
concepts. However, it will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in
the art that the inventive concepts within the disclosure may be
practiced without these specific details. In other instances,
well-known features have not been described in detail to avoid
unnecessarily complicating the instant disclosure.
[0022] As used herein the notation "a-n" appended to a reference
numeral is intended as merely convenient shorthand to reference
one, or more than one, and up to infinity, of the element or
feature identified by the respective reference numeral (e.g.,
134a-n). Similarly, a letter following a reference numeral is
intended to reference an embodiment of the feature or element that
may be similar, but not necessarily identical, to a previously
described element or feature bearing the same reference numeral
(e.g., 148, 148a, 148b, etc.). Such shorthand notations are used
for purposes of clarity and convenience only, and should not be
construed to limit the instant inventive concept(s) in any way,
unless expressly stated to the contrary.
[0023] Further, unless expressly stated to the contrary, "or"
refers to an inclusive "or" and not to an exclusive "or." For
example, a condition A or B is satisfied by anyone of the
following: A is true (or present) and B is false (or not present),
A is false (or not present) and B is true (or present), and both A
and B is true (or present).
[0024] In addition, use of the "a" or "an" are employed to describe
elements and components of the embodiments herein. This is done
merely for convenience and to give a general sense of the inventive
concepts. This description should be read to include one or at
least one and the singular also includes the plural unless it is
obvious that it is meant otherwise.
[0025] Finally, as used herein any reference to "one embodiment" or
"an embodiment" means that a particular element, feature,
structure, or characteristic described in connection with the
embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. The appearances
of the phrase "in one embodiment" in various places in the
specification are not necessarily all referring to the same
embodiment.
[0026] Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIG.
1, a typical drilling mud system 10 is shown at a well site. During
the drilling of oil and gas wells with rotary drilling rigs, drill
cuttings are produced from the geologic formations encountered by a
drill bit 12, mounted on a drill string 12, as drilling advances to
create a borehole 16.
[0027] As borehole 16 progresses during drilling, the drilling
string 12 is inserted through casing 18 down to the bottom of
borehole 16. The drill string 14 forms a portion of the drilling
mud line 20 used to pump drilling mud from a drilling mud storage
tank 22 through the drill string 14 to the bottom of the borehole
16. The drilling mud conditions and lubricates the borehole 16 to
facilitate its advancement and serves to counteract geostatic
pressures in the borehole 16 encountered during drilling. Drilling
mud may be made up of a number of components depending upon the
properties and condition of the geologic formations encountered
during drilling. Drilling mud is fluid-based and such fluid-based
mud may be water-based, oil or hydrocarbon-based or synthetic-based
depending upon the particular properties desired.
[0028] The casing 18 typically extends from the surface down the
borehole 16 to support the borehole 16. Drilling mud discharged
from the drill bit 12 is circulated to the surface via the annular
space between the casing 18 and the drill string 14 and carries
with it the drill cuttings produced by the drill bit 12. The
drilling mud, and any carried drill cuttings, returned to the
surface is transported via a mud line 24 to a shaker 26 by pumping
or other transporting means. The shaker 26 is a screening device
that separates the carried drill cuttings from the drilling mud.
The shaker 26 may be selected from any of a number of drill cutting
removal devices know in the art. Suitable drill cutting removal
devices include vibratory screen shakers, also known as shale
shakers, which are well known in the art. The shaker 26 may further
include de-sanders, de-silters, hydrocyclones, centrifuges, and
other known devices for separating the cuttings from the drilling
mud. After the drilling mud flows through the shaker 26, it returns
to the mud storage tank 22 via one or more mud lines 28.
[0029] The drill cuttings removed from the drilling mud by the
shaker 26 may be transported via a conveyor 30 to a drill cuttings
holder 32. The drill cuttings removed from the drilling mud are
typically of a gravel-like consistency. Conveyors for transporting
such drill cuttings are well known in the art, and as such will not
be described herein in detail. However, examples of suitable
conveyors that may be used to transport the drill cuttings from the
shaker 26 to the drill cuttings holder 32 include gravity lines,
trough and auger combinations, belt conveyors, screen conveyors,
pneumatic or vacuum lines, or any other such device designed to
transport aggregate materials, for example.
[0030] The drill cuttings holder 32 may be implemented as any
suitable receptacle, holder, or container adapted to receive and
retain drill cuttings therein. Examples of suitable structures
include a lined pit, a steel tank, an unlined pit, a
trailer-mounted tank, a tarp, a cement mixer, and combinations
thereof, for example. One or more agitators (not shown), such as
screws, augers, propellers, impellers, and combinations thereof may
be implemented such that the contents of the drill cuttings holder
32 may be mixed, agitated, blended, stirred, and combinations
thereof, for example. In some exemplary embodiments, the drill
cuttings holder 32 may be tilted or rotated to mix the contents of
the drill cuttings holder 32.
[0031] With the dill cuttings separated from the drilling mud and
positioned in the drill cuttings holder 32, an absorbent material
is mixed with the drill cuttings inside the drill cuttings holder
18. Adsorbent materials are materials that retain liquids on the
surface of their particles by capillary action and surface tension,
for example. Absorbents, in contrast, retain liquids within their
molecular structure. One exemplary embodiment of the inventive
concepts disclosed herein contemplates using an absorbent material
comprising a thermoset foam material made from a phenolic resin
compound with an open cell matrix in the form of phenolic foam
granules, prilled granules, or powders, whether such absorbent
material is hydrophilic or hydrophobic. It is to be understood that
the inventive concepts disclosed herein are applicable to other
open-celled thermoset phenolic foams, other polymeric open-celled
foam materials, and combinations thereof.
[0032] Another exemplary embodiment of the inventive concepts
disclosed herein contemplates using an absorbent material
comprising heat-treated kiln dried peat moss and derivatives
thereof. The heat-treated kiln dried peat moss may be processed
such that it is hydrophobic, and may include a culture of
bioremediation bacteria or other organisms, and nutrients for the
bioremediation organisms, for example.
[0033] Further, in some exemplary embodiments of the inventive
concepts disclosed herein, the absorbent material may comprise a
thermoset foam material made from a phenolic resin compound with an
open cell matrix mixed with heat-treated kiln dried peat moss
and/or derivatives thereof in various proportions by weight or
volume, such as 1:1; 2:1; 3:1; n:1; 1:n; 1:3; 1:2; etc., where "n"
can be any number or fraction, for example. The phenolic resin
compound and the heat-treated kiln dried peat moss may be
mechanically mixed together, or may be chemically or physically
bonded together in some exemplary embodiments of the inventive
concepts disclosed herein.
[0034] Additionally, one or more additives may be used in
combination with absorbent materials according to the inventive
concepts disclosed herein, such as pH buffers, biocidial compounds,
bacterial cultures, bioremediation starter cultures, bioremediation
culture nutrients, antifreeze compounds, hydrocarbons, minerals,
metals, non-metals, fibrous materials, cellulose materials, and
combinations thereof, for example. It is to be understood that the
absorbent material may be introduced in any form, such as bricked,
powdered, granulated, or by being introduced in a container such as
a sock, pillow, boom, or any other suitable container, for example.
Further, in some embodiments of the inventive concepts disclosed
herein, the absorbent material may be used as a liner for the drill
cuttings holder 18, for example.
[0035] The absorbent material may be mixed with the drill cuttings
in any suitable matter. In one exemplary embodiment, the absorbent
material may be manually added to the drill cuttings holder 18
prior to the drill cuttings, simultaneously with the drill cuttings
(continuously or intermittently), or after the drill cuttings are
conveyed to the drill cuttings holder 18. In an exemplary
embodiment, an absorbent material hopper (not shown), other
suitable dispensing device (not shown), and combinations thereof,
may be operatively coupled with the drill cuttings holder 18, such
that absorbent material may be manually or automatically introduced
into the drill cuttings holder 18, as will be understood by persons
of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the instant
disclosure. For example, the absorbent material may be introduced
into the drill cuttings holder 18 in any suitable manner, such as
by being blown, pumped, dumped, gravity-fed, shoveled, poured,
dispensed, conveyed, and combinations thereof.
[0036] In some embodiments, the absorbent material and the drill
cuttings may be introduced into the drill cuttings holder 18 in a
layered manner, such as for example, by alternating layers of drill
cuttings and layers of absorbent material. In other embodiments of
the inventive concepts disclosed herein, the drill cuttings may be
introduced in the drill cuttings holder 18 onto a base layer of
absorbent material, and may or may not be blanketed with another
layer of absorbent material. The amount of absorbent material used
for any given amount of drill cuttings may vary depending on the
particular contaminants present, the amount of remaining fluids
entrained in the drill cuttings, applicable disposal regulations,
and other factors, as will be understood by a person of ordinary
skill in the art. It has been experimentally found that generally
about 1.25 lbs of absorbent material is sufficient to absorb
approximately 1 U.S. gallon of fluid, and between about 1.25 lbs
and about 2.5 lbs of absorbent material is capable of absorbing
substantially all fluids from approximately 1 U.S. gallon of
oil-based drill cuttings. It is to be understood, however, that the
above amounts may vary as the composition, surface area, and size
of the drill cutting varies, and mixing methods are varied. For a
particular operation, the rates at which the drill cuttings and the
absorbent material, respectively, are introduced into the drill
cuttings holder 18 may be determined experimentally based on a
variety of factors, such as the amount of oil present in the drill
cuttings, and the absorbency of the absorbent material. In one
version, an excess of absorbent material is introduced into the
drill cuttings holder 18 to ensure that substantially all the free
oil and other fluids present on the surfaces of the drill cuttings
will be absorbed.
[0037] The drill cuttings and the absorbent material may be brought
into contact with each other in any suitable manner, such as by
mixing, blending, stirring, or agitating to allow the absorbent
material to absorb fluids from the drill cuttings. The drill
cuttings and the absorbent material may be brought into contact
with one another by any suitable means, mechanisms, techniques,
devices, and combinations thereof, for example. In an exemplary
embodiment, the drill cuttings and the absorbent material may be
manually brought into contact with one another via a shovel, a
rake, or any other suitable instrument. In another exemplary
embodiment, a mechanical device, such as an impeller, a propeller,
a screw, a shaker, an auger, a cement mixer, a conveyor belt, a
rotating drum, a tumbler, a loader, a back hoe, a tractor, a bucket
loader an extruder, and combinations thereof, may be used to bring
the drill cuttings and the absorbent material into contact with one
another for any desired length of time, and to turn and mix the
drill cuttings and the absorbent material until substantially all
the free fluids have been absorbed by the absorbent material.
[0038] Further, in some embodiments, pressure, heat, vibrations,
surfactants, or other chemical additives may be used in
combinations with any of the above methods, techniques, and
devices, to maximize the surface area of the drill cuttings brought
into contact with the absorbent material, for example. In other
exemplary embodiments, the drill cuttings may be ground up,
crushed, milled, or otherwise mechanically, thermally, or
chemically processed prior to contacting the absorbent material, to
increase the surface area of the drill cuttings so as to enhance
the absorption of fluids by the absorbent material.
[0039] In an exemplary embodiment of the inventive concepts
disclosed herein, the ratio of drill cuttings to absorbent material
may be predetermined by sampling the drill cuttings and determining
the appropriate amount of absorbent material needed to absorb
substantially all fluids from the drill cuttings. For example, a
suitable test, such as a paint filter test may be used to determine
the appropriate ratio of absorbent material to drill cuttings. In
another exemplary embodiment, the ratio of drill cuttings to
absorbent material may be determined by gradually adding absorbent
material into the drill cuttings holder 18, until no more streaks
or wet drill cuttings are observed. Alternatively, periodic
sampling and testing of the drill cuttings/absorbent material
mixture may be utilized to determine when the optimal ratio has
been reached.
[0040] The dried (de-fluidized or dehydrated) drill cuttings, along
with the absorbent material, are disposed of in any suitable
manner. In one exemplary embodiment, the drill cuttings and
absorbent material are disposed of in-situ, such as by dumping them
in a suitable landfill implemented in compliance with applicable
environmental laws and regulations. In some embodiments, the drill
cuttings/absorbent material mixture may be compacted, or formed
into a brick, or briquette, for example. In other exemplary
embodiments, the drill cuttings/absorbent material mixture may be
transported to an off-site location for disposal.
[0041] Further, in some exemplary embodiments, the dried drill
cuttings may be separated from the absorbent material and disposed
of, and the separated absorbent material may be used as fuel source
for a cement kiln, or for any other desirable fuel purpose, for
example.
[0042] From the above description, it is clear that the inventive
concepts disclosed herein are well adapted to carry out the objects
and to attain the advantages mentioned herein as well as those
inherent in the inventive concepts disclosed herein. While several
embodiments of the inventive concepts disclosed herein have been
described for purposes of this disclosure, it will be understood
that numerous changes may be made which will readily suggest
themselves to those skilled in the art and which are accomplished
within the scope and spirit of the inventive concepts disclosed
herein.
* * * * *