Title: Environmental management of drilling wastes

Authors: Amir M. Shaikh

Addresses: Sindh Engro Coal Mining Company, 4th Floor, The Harbor Front Building, HC # 3, Marine Drive, Block 4, Clifton – Karachi, Pakistan

Abstract: Drilling waste is a complex mixture of chemicals and cuttings used to meet the diverse requirements of drilling operation, and achieve well stability throughout exploration and production activities. The developments of best available technology (BAT) and best environmental practice (BEP) techniques have improved the environmental achievements of exploration and production activities. The cutting re-injection (CRI) technology is one of the latest waste disposal techniques. Slurrification is one of the integral parts of CRI for subsurface injection of drilling waste. In this paper, few of the major environmental management techniques for drilling wastes are highlighted including major aspects of CRI technology.

Keywords: drilling waste; cutting re-injection; CRI; environmental management; waste disposal; slurrification; subsurface injection; drilling fluids; drilled cuttings; well stability; oil wells; oilfields.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEWM.2016.076409

International Journal of Environment and Waste Management, 2016 Vol.17 No.1, pp.14 - 25

Accepted: 21 Feb 2015
Published online: 06 May 2016 *

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