In bid to determine the level of base oil recovery using thermal desorption unit, a process that provides for waste reduction and recycling, ten samples of oil based mud contaminated drill cuttings were collected from ten oil wells in the Niger Delta are in Nigeria. Composite samples were formed from each oil well sample and a retort analysis was made of each composite sample, to determine the percentage of oil and water in the oily cuttings and the temperature for the thermal desorption treatment of these oily cuttings. The results of the retort analysis showed an average percentage range of oil and water content as 6.93 – 23.93% and 4.00 – 15.00% respectively and presented a suitable temperature range of 325°C – 350°C for the thermal desorption treatment. All the drill cuttings were then treated in a Thermal Desorption Unit (TDU). Another retort analysis was carried out on the processed solids (cleaned cuttings) to determine the level of oil residue, which stood at 0.19 – 0.79%. This is below the regulatory limit of 1%. This study reveals the efficiency of TDU process in the recovery of oil from drill cuttings from the Niger Delta area of Nigeria.
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