Computer Models Address Drilling Waste Management

Abstract

Abstract As part of the well planning process, the professional drilling engineer is confronted with the issue of drilling waste management. Frequently, the drilling engineer has little or no experience or training to deal with the variety of issues involved with drilled cuttings and waste drilling fluid disposal. Waste management is also becoming a larger part of total drilling costs and poses definite potential future liabilities to the operating company. One of the ways to fill this need without formal training is to provide the untrained engineer with computer software based on previous experiences. In this manner the untrained engineer can learn on-the-job without costly mistakes due to inexperience. This objective of this paper is to discuss recently developed computer models that address drilling waste management issues. Some of the models discussed are: ■Solids control efficiency■Waste volume/mass generation■Pit sizing for onshore waste collection■Box needs for waste transportation■Technical feasibility of offshore disposal options■Liability associated with disposal options■Cost of offshore disposal options■Treatment requirements for disposal or re-use options■Land requirements for land application of drilled cuttings While computer modeling is not new, the application of it to drilling waste management is certainly new. For instance, a bonus-malice system is used to evaluate liability and feasibility associated with offshore disposal options. This allows more realistic evaluation of disposal options. A second innovation is in the use of reverse-wave engineering. Applied to drilling waste disposal, the final disposal or re-use option is selected and treatments are suggested that meet the input and disposal criteria. While the obvious advantage is to provide artificial intelligence to the user, there is another major advantage to software approaches to drilling waste management. The computer-based approach allows multiple, rapid evaluations of complex variables. The relationship between drilling parameters, waste handling, treatment, and disposal options can be better examined.