Drill cuttings

The method of action of the polymers is thought to be encapsulation of drill cuttings and exposed shales on the borehole wall by the nonionic materials, and selective adsorption of anionic polymers on positively charged sites of exposed clays which limits the extent of possible swelling. The latter method appears to be tme particularly for certain anionic polymers because of the low concentrations that can be used to achieve shale protection (8). 

To reduce the amount of waste and disposal costs, drill cuttings are increasingly being reinjected into the formations from which they came. 

The unavoidable addition of solids comes from the continual influx of drilled cuttings into the active mud system. Undesirable solids increase drilling cost because they reduce penetration rate through their effect on mud specific weight and mud viscosity. 

Undesirable solids are drilled cuttings and those solids sloughed into the borehole. They usually occur in all size ranges from colloidal to coarse. The specific gravity of commonly encountered drilled solids ranges from 2.35 (shale), through 2.65 (sand), 2.69 (limestone), to 2.85 (dolomite) see Table 4-57 [29]. 

Produced water Drilling fluids Drill cuttings Rigwash... 

Methylglucosides also could find applications in water-based drilling fluids and have the potential to replace oil-based drilling fluids [801]. The use of such a drilling fluid could reduce the disposal of oil-contaminated drilling cuttings, minimize health and safety concerns, and minimize environmental effects. 

A drilling fluid additive, which acts as a clay stabilizer, is the reaction product of methylglucoside and alkylene oxides such as ethylene oxide, propylene oxide, or butylene oxide. Such an additive is soluble in water at ambient conditions, but becomes insoluble at elevated down-hole temperatures [386], Because of their insolubility at elevated temperatures, these compounds concentrate at important surfaces such as the drill bit cutting surface, the borehole surface, and the surfaces of the drilled cuttings. 

This technology is applicable to sites with hydrocarbon-contaminated soils, including drill cuttings, oil-contaminated soil around tank batteries and refineries, oil field service and storage facilities, and service stations. 

The vendor claims that ITD technology removes more than 99.9% of the hydrocarbons from contaminated sods, allowing customers to use more efficient, oil-based drilling muds and recycle the reclaimed hydrocarbons from the drill cuttings. 

Oligomeric urea-formaldehyde resins prepared by Wright et al. (2) were as effective as surfactants in separating drill cuttings from oil drilling fluids. 

Neff, J.M. (1987) Biological effects of drilling fluids drill cuttings and produced waters, in Long-Term Effects of Offshore Oil and Gas Development, (eds D.F. Boesch and N.N. Rabalais) Elsevier Applied Science Publishers, London, pp. 469—538. 

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