section 14c

treatment and disposal

section 14c Scomi Oiltools

cuttings re-injection (cri) 2

drill cuttings thermal treatment 4
extractor dryer 10
filtration 13
chemically enhanced centrifugation (flocculation) 15
bio-remediation 16
drill cuttings solidification and stabilisation 18
 Section

14c treatment and disposal

treatment and disposal

cuttings re-injection (cri)
Summary:
Cuttings Re-Injection (CRI) is an in situ method for the disposal of drill cuttings and other drilling wastes
into a sub-surface stratum.

Drill cuttings are slurrified with water (fresh or sea water) and ground down to a pre-determined particle
size. The particle size is achieved by passing through a shaker screen. Slurry of the correct particle size
and physical properties is injected via a pump, which is typically of a triplex design, into the well head at
a given pressure and down into the pre-determined sub-surface injection zone. Oversize particles from
the shaker are re-circulated for further grinding.

Features and Benefits:

ƒ Features
ƒ An efficient method for disposing of NADF drill cuttings
ƒ ARCO licensed slurrification system
ƒ Modular concept
ƒ Venturi feed system

ƒ Benefits
ƒ In-situ solution for the disposal of drill cuttings
ƒ Negates the need for ship to shore and double handling
ƒ Reduced environmental impact compared to other disposal methods
ƒ Reduced long term liability for the operator
ƒ Suitable for disposal of other drilling wastes such as drilling and well clean up fluids

Technical Description:
Scomi Oiltools has a vast amount of experience in cuttings re-injection, with projects in many different
countries of the world. The Scomi Oiltools Cuttings / Solids Injection System is designed to receive the
drilled cuttings from the rig’s Solids Control Equipment, and/or produced solids containers.

The typical feed system is a screw conveyor collecting the cuttings from the shale shakers and a venturi
hopper to transport the cuttings to the slurrification system. The venturi system reduces the need for
augers and moves the cuttings by using a stream of fast flowing water that can move the cuttings over
extended distances.

The solids are passed over a shale shaker with screens sized to meet the required slurry particle size.
The slurry unit normally consist of two tanks (Fines & Grinding) and four centrifugal pumps. The fines
tank holds the fluid and solids which pass through the shaker screen. The grinding tank holds the
oversize particles. The grinding tank is continually circulated through the ARCO patented hardened
impellor pumps to further reduce the particle size. This slurry is passed over the shaker screens again
in a continuous process. The slurrification system is normally designed to grind and process up to 25MT
of drill cuttings per hour. Smaller and larges sizes can be accommodated.

Four pumps and numerous valves provide 100% contingency in case of failure. This ensures that the
injection process and drilling is not interrupted due to a failure of a pump or a valve.

The slurry in the fines tank is pumped to a high pressure triplex pump where it is injected into the well.
The downhole configuration, injection zone, and pump rate are determined by a separate study. In some
cases the study may determine that no suitable injection zone exists.


 Disposal Well

Annular Injection

Shale Shakers Seawater

Supply
Grinding
Mill
Classification
Shaker

Chemical
Addition

Mixing
Hopper
Holding Tank

Shearing Tank Injection Pump

Transfer via
Wellhead
Screw Conveyor
Fines Tank

Injection

Injection System Schematic


 Section

14c treatment and disposal

drill cuttings thermal treatment

Summary:
Our current thermal product line is based on the Porcupine Processor. This thermal process is designed
to treat NADF Drill Cuttings (base oil can be diesel, low toxicity, or synthetic), which reduces the oil on
the solids exit the process to < 1% dry weight, and recovers the valuable base oil in a state suitable
for reuse.

This process has been successfully operated and therefore licensed in the UK and Holland. To date
the operating plants have processed well in excess of 100,000 MT of drill cuttings.

The process is not designed for processing water based waste or wastes with a very high liquid
content. The process is not suitable for processing ester based drill cuttings, as the ester breaks down
at the process temperatures.

Features and Benefits:

ƒ Features
ƒ An efficient method for treating NADF drill cuttings
ƒ PLC controlled safety systems
ƒ Non-explosive atmosphere
ƒ Precise and variable temperature control

ƒ Benefits
ƒ Reduces oil on cuttings to < 1% and in most cases to < 0.5%
ƒ Recovered oil is un-cracked and suitable for reuse in new drilling fluid
ƒ Operator liability relating to land disposal is reduced

Technical Details:
The treatment of solids containing high levels of diesel oil contamination can be achieved utilising a
single stage indirect thermal desorption system. The system is based on the use of the patented
Porcupine Processor to remove all water and oil, leaving a residual total petroleum hydrocarbon on
cuttings of less than 1%.

Contaminated solids are fed into the processor by the use of an adjustable speed screw feeder.
Conditioning of the feed with clean, hot recycled solids will be completed using an automated paddle
mixing system.

Heat transfer fluid from a hot oil heater is circulated through the inner passages of the Porcupine
dryer, which consists of a sealed tub with a heated rotating paddle shaft. The oil-contaminated waste
is contained within the dryer tub where they are heated by contact with the hot metal surfaces of
the paddle shaft. Air locks are fitted at the inlet and outlet of the dryer to minimise the infiltration of
outside air. Nitrogen is used to purge air from the airlocks and provide an inert gas atmosphere within
the dryer.

As the waste is mixed and folded inside the dryer, contact with the rotating paddle shaft causes
the liquids to evaporate. A mixture of steam and oil vapour then passes into a Vapour Recovery Unit
where it condenses and leaves the system as liquids. The remaining solids exit the system into a cooler
and hydrator (to avoid dust) prior to being discharged.


 Process Flow Diagram

Heat transfer Fluid for the Porcupine Processor

The best approach involves the use of a heat transfer fluid (hot oil) system. The unit employs the
external boiler to heat the heat transfer fluid. This liquid is capable of being heated to temperatures
of 343° C (650° F), and circulated by pump without boiling. A multi-fuel burner is provided to cleanly
burn a variety of fuels with high efficiency. The burner heats the coil of pipe containing the circulating
thermal fluid. After being heated, the heat transfer fluid (hot oil) is circulated to the dryer, where it
transfers its heat to the metal surfaces. The cooler fluid is then circulated back to be re-heated.

NITROGEN

EXPANSION
TANK

FUEL FROM
CIRCULATING
PORCUPINE
PUMP

TO
PORCUPINE
FUEL

Typical thermal fluid heater setup

Modern boiler system controls are used on the Hot Oil System to assure safe operation. These include
flame safety/fuel shutoff devices, automatic re-start pilots and pressure and temperature shutoff switch.

Vapour Recovery Unit

A single vapour recovery unit is utilised to condense and recover (for recycling) the vapours from the
Porcupine Processor. The Vapour Recovery Unit consists of two stages of vapour condensing, with non-
condensable gasses being oxidised in the boiler.

First Stage Condenser

Stage 1 consists of a gas scrubber / absorber tower equipped with a continuous circulation of cooled
liquor serving as a direct contact or barometric condenser.

This water stream is circulated under pressure from the cooler into a contactor column where it passes
counter-current to the vapour entering from the dryer system. Intimate contact of the gas and liquid
is increased by utilisation of specially designed internals that provide maximum surface area while
minimising the vapour stream pressure drop. As the hot vapour comes in contact with the liquid
the majority of it is condensed.


 Section

14c treatment and disposal

VAPOUR
SEPARATOR
SECOND
STAGE
I.D.
CONDENSER
100-200 CFM GAS FLOW FAN

SCRUBBER-
CONDENSER RECOVERED
LIGHT
OILS
HEAT

VAPOUR EXCHANGER

FROM COOLING

TOWER
PORCUPINE

CHILLER
RECOVERED

RECOVERED WATER
& SOLIDS TO BOILER
OILS

All liquid exiting the condenser/scrubber column passes into an oil / water separator where two
separation processes occur. Within the entry section particulate that was previously entrained with
the vapour and captured by the scrubbing action of the water is removed via a baffled chamber.
In the following (exit) section, the water and any oil occurring are separated through the use of a
parallel plate module that utilises the difference in the specific gravity to produce a two-phase flow.
A series of baffles and weirs provides skimming of the oil phase, while allowing the water to be
re-circulated to the air-cooled exchanger. A removable gasket sealed lid contains any potential vapour
leakage from this vessel. A sight glass is mounted on the separator, permitting visual examination
of the “two-phase” section. This gives the system operator an indication of how to adjust the rate at
which an oil pump removes oil from this section of the separator.

Second Stage Condenser

The second stage condenser is typically a shell and tube heat exchanger. Mechanically refrigerated
water/glycol solution is circulated on the shell side of the heat exchanger. The remaining condensable
vapours in the gas stream are thus cooled to 5 °C (4 °F), condensed and collected in a liquid recovery
vessel.

The Mechanical Refrigeration System will reduce the water / glycol temperature to approximately 3 °C
(37 °F) before its entrance to the condenser. The mechanical refrigeration system includes a compressor;
an air-cooled condenser with copper tubes and mechanically bonded plate fins immediately follows
the compressor. It is designed with sufficient extended surface area to accommodate a condensing
discharge temperature of 115 °F (46 °C). Propeller-type fans driven by TENV motors induce airflow. Fan
cycling controls ensure the ability of the system to maintain a proper condensing pressure even at low
ambient temperatures.

The evaporating refrigerant cools the re-circulated water in the evaporator, which is constructed
of 304 stainless steel to guard against attack if aggressive chemicals are encountered. The control
scheme for the refrigeration system includes limit switches that protect against unsafe operation
of the system whenever operating conditions such as high or low refrigerant or low compressor
lubricating oil pressure exist. Ancillary system safeties are provided to stop operation of the refrigerant
circuit whenever there is a loss of water flow or the water system temperature drops too close to its
freezing point.


Blower
The non-condensable gas stream that remains after the second stage Condenser / Scrubber is directed
through a single positive displacement blower that discharge the gas to the boiler ensuring complete
oxidation of any residual hydrocarbons. A manually variable frequency control adjusts the blower
volume. The blower’s volume is adjusted in proportion to the dryer processing rate and the moisture
content of the feed material. The more bulk material fed to the dryer, the more air is entrained in the
material, necessitating a greater blower volume. The higher the moisture content of the feed material,
the greater the volume of vapours generated by the drying process. This necessitates a greater blower
volume.

Oil and Water Condensate

Condensed liquids (oil and water) in the vapour recovery system are separated for recycling. Oil is
collected in a tank and water is utilised to re-hydrate the dry solids exiting the Porcupine to avoid the
generation of dust.

Automatic Motor Control Centre

The thermal desorption system is controlled through an Allen-Bradley Programmable Logic Controller
model PLC5/20 mounted inside the freestanding control container. The process can be monitored
and controlled through the use of PC/AT Operator Interface Platform on a desktop computer and viewed
on a full 19” (483 mm) monitor. Process conditions are continuously monitored by an array of instrumentation
installed on the process equipment. The state of the instrumentation represents real-time conditions
of the process and allows for process information to be reported by the PLC to the display screen.
The microprocessor, as an integral part of the PLC, monitors the information received from the input
field devices, performs the routines programmed in the ladder logic code, and delivers commands to
the output instruments to automatically control system operations. The operator inputs required
process criteria directly to the terminal to specify the conditions of the system operation. The PC
based software relays this criteria to the PLC, which performs the logic functions to meet the specific
process requirements.

Picture of a Typical Oiltools Motor Control Centre

Equipment status, process criteria and alarm conditions are displayed on graphic display screens within
the operator’s interface terminal, allowing the operator to perform process and machine diagnostics.
The graphic display alarm and process screens also provide operators and maintenance personnel with
information that aids in troubleshooting the alarm condition. The control system is user friendly and
employs a simplistic method of interfacing the operator with the equipment. DC-5424

Plant in Shetland, Scotland, capable of processing 20,000 MT per annum


 Section

14c treatment and disposal

Control Room

Vapour Recovery System

Feed Hopper / Storage


 Product Cooler

Thermal Fluid Heater

Discharge Auger


 Section

14c treatment and disposal

extractor dryer
Summary:
The EXTRACTOR Dryer is designed to remove NADF from drill cuttings exiting the shale shaker. The
dryer is capable or reducing the oil on cuttings to < 3% and to an overall total of < 6.9% when the
centrifuge waste is taken into account. Excess fluid is recovered after centrifugation and returned to the
active system for reuse. The system is not suitable for the treatment of water based mud cuttings.

Features and Benefits:

ƒ Features
ƒ Horizontal basket
ƒ Internal scroll turns solids to improve drying ability
ƒ Proprietary screen design minimises plugging
ƒ ‘G’ force of 375 ‘G’s
ƒ Resettable torque overload protection
ƒ Screen cleaning does not require removal

ƒ Benefits
ƒ Reduced environmental impact and increase drilling fluids recovery
ƒ Reduced footprint and lower height compared with vertical systems
ƒ Low noise and power requirement due to low friction Cyclo-Gear
ƒ Reduced maintenance

Technical Details:
The EXTRACTOR Dryer consists of a horizontally configured conical screen placed within a balanced
cage that is driven at high speed via an electric motor through a Cyclo-Gear drive gearbox.

Positioned within the cage is a scroll that turns and transports the filtered solids from the machine
to obtain maximum cuttings dryness. The conical basket contains a proprietary screen specially
designed to minimize screen binding. The unit is attached to an isolated sub-frame which in turn is
mounted on a rugged oilfield skid for transport.

The EXTRACTOR Dryer receives drill cuttings from the Solids Control equipment via screw conveyor,
vacuum system, and/or solids pump. Drill cuttings are fed into the centre of the feed cone and
distributed evenly through feed holes by centrifugal action into the flighting channels between the
scroll and the screen. As the drill cuttings pass through the conical screen, the solids layer becomes
thinner and exposed to progressively more G-force.

The high gravitational force allows the liquid portion of the feed to pass through the cake bed and
screen while the cake bed itself is continuously turned and swept outward to be discharged at the
outer diameter of the screen. The dried drill cuttings exit from the front of the machine where they
are either discharged to the environment or collected for further handling and/or treatment.

The effluent exits tangentially from the base of the unit into a holding tank. This effluent should all
be processed by a high speed centrifuge, where practicable, prior to return to the active system.

10
 DRILL
CUTTINGS IN

RECOVERED SOLIDS
LIQUID OUT OUT

Schematic of the dryer

The basket and crane

The Extractor Dryer

11
 Section

14c treatment and disposal

Scroll in position

Offshore Installation

Typical oil on cuttings graph

12
filtration
Summary:
A complete range of filtration equipment is available to process completion brines, oily water, water
injection and other oilfield applications. The full range of equipment and consumables includes
horizontal and vertical filter presses, duplex cartridge and bag units, high pressure vessels, automatic
self cleaning filters, filter bags, and cartridges (wound, spunbonded, pleated, oil and heavy metal
absorption, nominal, and absolute)

Features and Benefits:

ƒ Features
ƒ Fully automatic self cleaning vertical filter press
ƒ Flexible duplex unit able to hold standard cartridges, magnum cartridges or bag filters
ƒ Full range of cartridge micron sizes in nominal or absolute
ƒ Oil absorbing and heavy metal absorbing cartridges available for water treatment applications

ƒ Benefits
ƒ Reduced cleaning time and reduced exposure to waste when using the automatic self cleaning
filter, saving rig time
ƒ Duplex unit are suitable for numerous applications
ƒ High efficiency filtration improves production rates
ƒ Water treatment offshore allows discharge and reduces costly onshore disposal

Duplex Cartridge Unit

Horizontal DE Press

13
 Section

14c treatment and disposal

Vertical Pressure Leaf Press With Self Cleaning System

40” Cartridges 5 Bag Filters

7 Magnum Cartridges 50 Standard Cartridges

14
chemically enhanced centrifugation (flocculation)
Summary:
Chemically Enhanced Centrifugation, CEC, otherwise known as flocculation, is a method to enhance
the remove of fine solids in WBM through a centrifuge. Small quantities of additives are mixed with the
used WBM, which coagulate and flocculate fine colloidal solids into a larger clumps, which are then easily
removed using a centrifuge.

CEC reduces the volume of waste mud generated as it allows the clarified fluid to be reused to build
new drilling fluids. Overall the total volume of waste, the size of the pits, and the quantity of water required
per well are all reduced.

Features and Benefits:

ƒ Features
ƒ Mixing tank including agitator and twin screw pumps for the coagulant
ƒ Powder dosing unit to make up flocculent
ƒ Flocculent batch tank with agitator and dosing pump
ƒ Dilution unit for reducing polymer concentration
ƒ Two variable speed metering pumps
ƒ In-line mixing system
ƒ Centrate tanks
ƒ Laboratory and work area

ƒ Benefits
ƒ Overall reduction in water usage and increased recycling
ƒ Smaller pit volumes and in closed loop system no need for a reserve pit
ƒ Reduced environmental impact
ƒ Real time mixing reduces overall chemical consumption
ƒ Powder polymer unit reduces chemical consumption

Technical Description:
During drilling with WBM, fine colloidal solids build up, eventually leading to a requirement to dump or
dilute. CEC offers an alternative as it allow the fine particles to be coagulated, flocculated and removed
by the use of a centrifuge.

A coagulant is added to neutralise the negative charges holding the fine colloidal particles apart
followed a flocculent (typically a polymer) to bridge together the small floccs into larger clumps, which
can then be removed by gravity separation or a centrifuge.

The CEC system is a containerised compact unit designed to meter in the correct quantities of both
coagulants and flocculent. It has tanks to store the prepared chemical solutions and metering pumps
to accurately dose them into a mud mixing line. The flocculated mud should be centrifuged at low
speed to ensure the clumps are not broken up by excessive shear.

30’ Containerised CEC System

15
 Section

14c treatment and disposal

bio-remediation
Summary:
Bioremediation utilises the ability of natural organisms to digest the organic species found in Drill
Cuttings, principally the base oil. Bioremediation is used to treat NADF cuttings, reducing the residual
oil on cuttings to less than 1%.

Features and Benefits:

ƒ Features
ƒ The solid product does not require any further processing or disposal
ƒ Relatively inexpensive compared with other techniques including CRI and Thermal
ƒ Limited mechanical equipment so inherently safe
ƒ Treatment material can be suitable for use as a soil amendment
ƒ Degradation can be carried out by native bacteria

ƒ Benefits
ƒ Treats the hydrocarbon and other organic compounds in the waste
ƒ Suitable for variable quality wastes
ƒ Does not require utilities such as electricity and diesel fuel for processing
ƒ Simple and safe to manage

Technical Details:
A containment area with an impermeable clay base is built to accept and process the cuttings. The
impermeable layer is important to stop potential leaching of contaminants into the environment. The
area is selected for ease of access and having a suitable area to cope with the projected waste volume.

Drill cuttings are placed in an empty cell and mixed with a suitable organic substrate such as saw dust.
Filler such as sand is added to improve the drainage and increase the airspaces in the waste.

Nutrients and water are added as appropriate during the degradation period to ensure growth of the
bacteria culture is maximised. The mixture is turned frequently, either by hand or machine, to ensure a
plentiful supply of air (oxygen) is available to the bacteria.

Over time the bacteria population will digest the oil. Samples of the cuttings are taken frequently to
monitor the degradation rate of the base oil. When the residual oil level meets the customer specification
the site can be closed and the product either moved to another location or left in-situ to re-vegetate.

The Six Steps

16
 Application Summary

Cells in use

Watering the cells

Re-vegetation of a completed cell

17
 Section

14c treatment and disposal

drill cuttings solidification and stabilisation

Summary:
Oily drill cuttings from the shale shakers may not be suitable for direct disposal to land without further
treatment. Regulations in some countries require the “waste” to meet certain criteria such as the
leachability of specified contaminants. Solidification and stabilisation of the drilling waste is a
method whereby the raw cuttings from the shaker / centrifuge are mixed with additives in order that
the treated wastes will meet the criteria for land disposal.

Solidification typically refers to encapsulating the waste such that the leachability of contaminants
is reduced by minimising the surface area of the waste exposed to leaching, or by totally encapsulating
the waste with an impervious layer.

Stabilisation refers to chemical techniques that reduce the mobility of contaminants by changing
their form into less soluble, mobile or toxic forms.

There are concerns that the long term stability of these waste is not yet understood and as such
this technique is now limited in its application around the world to just a few countries.

Features and Benefits:

ƒ Features
ƒ Available in semi-automatic (backhoe mixing) and fully automatic (mixer and silos) configuration
ƒ Easy to operate and maintain
ƒ High throughputs
ƒ Low manpower requirement

ƒ Benefits
ƒ Relatively inexpensive
ƒ Formulation can be tailored to meet the legislative requirement
ƒ Additives are benign
ƒ Reduces the availability of most heavy metals to the environment

Technical Description:
NADF Drill cuttings are typically mixed with cement or lime and at least one more additive such as
sodium silicate or organophilic clay. The mixing is completed either by the use of a backhoe or through
more automated equipment such as a ploughshare mixer and associated silos for the cement and
additives. In most cases some water will also be added to ensure complete hydration and reaction
of the cement or lime.

The final product will normally be required to meet a specification that covers the leachability of
specific contaminants and in some cases a number of physical properties. The leachability requirements
typically cover heavy metals and hydrocarbons whilst the physical tests cover the final strength of the
product.

The Louisiana State-wide Order 29-B provides a useful reference for these requirements and can often
be quoted as a standard in the absence of local regulations.

18
Picture Gallery:

Ploughshare Mixer and Feed System

Disposal Pit Excavation

Burial of Stabilised Drill Cuttings

19