Process and pit design for waste water-based mud treatment and drilled cuttings stabilization for cluster of oil wells

Abstract

Environmental degradation through crude oil and gas exploration has attracted international attention over the past decades. This prompted the development of dewatering and clarification processes to treat the waste water-based mud emanating from drilling activities. There is also the need to carry out proper solidification and inertisation and stabilization process for the drilled solids. It has caused the development of many chemicals to assist solidification and inertisation and stabilization process. The costs of treatment of waste water based mud and drilled solidification and stabilization are high. Economy of proper waste pit design is also necessary to enhance fluid and process control to minimize the cost of operation. This research work is coming out from practical field operation and is used to illustrate how proper process and pit design can enhance effective and economic waste water based mud and drilled solids inertisation and stabilization process in the oil and gas industry.