Chemical Treatment of Cuttings Drilled With Oil-Based Mud Employing a Laboratory Simulated Soil Washing Procedure

摘要

With the emphasis being placed on environmental safety inrecent years, companies are seeking economical methods forcleaning oil field waste. Drilling operations producesubstantial amounts of such waste in the form of cuttings andused drilling mud. Oil-based or synthetic based muds, whichare necessary in some drilling situations, increase thedifficulty of cleanup operations due the increased hazardsthese fluids pose to the environment. One chemical washingagent has been identified that demonstrates potential forsuccessfully reducing the TPH content of oil-based mudcuttings to below the required level.