Assessment of Chlorine, Fluorine, and Sulfur Concentrations in Depth Profile of Drill Cuttings from Onshore and Offshore Oil and Gas Exploration Wells

Abstract

The assessment of chlorine, fluorine, and sulfur concentrations in depth profile of drill cuttings was performed using ion chromatography after sample preparation by pyrohydrolysis. The parameters for pyrohydrolysis were optimized using a Box-Behnken design, and the established conditions were 300 mg of sample, 300 mg of V2O5, temperature of 1000 °C, reaction time of 25 min, and absorbing solution of 50 mmol L-1 NH3 + 150 mmol L-1 H2O2. The accuracy was evaluated by the analysis of certified reference materials and recovery tests, and the results showed a good agreement between determined and certified values and recoveries (89-108%). The precision (relative standard deviation (RSD) < 10%), and the limits of detection (0.5-2.5 mg kg‑1) were suitable for drill cuttings analysis. The concentration of chlorine, fluorine, and sulfur in drill cuttings at different depths was at mg g-1 range, and its variation is related to the mineral composition of the samples.