Oily drilled cuttings -- A pro-active approach to protecting the environment

Conference · Wed Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1995

OSTI ID:113363

Holt, Jr, C A; Prewett, H; Mansour, S

Oil base drilling fluids are imperative to the success of GUPCO`s Gulf of Suez drilling operations. Protecting the environment while utilizing these environmentally unfriendly drilling fluids has proven to be a challenge. This paper describes how GUPCO championed this challenge. GUPCO drilling has pursued several means to satisfy drilling needs and environmental concerns; (1) slurrification and downhole injection of OBM cuttings, (2) hauling OBM cuttings to shore for disposal, (3) utilization of OBM alternatives. Slurrified cuttings have been injected below surface casing via the annulus between surface and intermediate casing strings, or in the case of the SIDKI re-development project, an injection well was drilled. Injection guidelines, procedures, and injection results are presented in the paper. Oily cuttings have been collected in containers on the rigs and hauled onshore for disposal. Drilling rigs in the GUPCO fleet have been modified to handle the OBM and properly collect the oily cuttings. The paper describes the rig modifications for zero discharge of oily cuttings, including the oily cuttings collection process. Due to the environmental concerns associated with OBM, water based inhibitive mud systems have been attempted in the GOS. Cationic Brine Fluid (CBF) and Partially Hydrolyzed Polyacrylamide polymer (PHPA) drilling fluids have been utilized as OBM alternatives. The results and conclusions are included in the paper.

• OSTI ID: 113363
• Report Number(s): CONF-950310--
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
03 NATURAL GAS
CUTTINGS REMOVAL
GULF OF SUEZ
NATURAL GAS WELLS
OFFSHORE PLATFORMS
OIL WELLS
SOLID WASTES
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WELL DRILLING