When water-based muds (WBMs) were used, only limited environmental harm was likely to occur, but when operators employed oil-based muds (OBMs) on deeper sections of wells, the resulting cuttings piles created impaired zones beneath and adjacent to the platforms. So it is necessary to process drilling waste by GN drilling waste management system.

offshore drilling waste manaegement

Many offshore rigs do not process the drilling waste or even drilling mud at site, because there are professional facilities who can recycle the drilling mud and process the drilling waste. Then the rig can re-use the recycled drilling mud. Unlike onshore drilling rigs, there are complete solids control systems in onshore drilling site.

The drilling waste produced by onshore drilling are mainly drilling cuttings and less water, which can be transferred by screw conveyor to hi-G shaker or vertical cutting dryer for further process.

The drilling waste produced by offshore drilling usually is not produced by solids control equipments, they are collected by containers then transport to the drilling waste management facilities for process. Firstly they are pumped to shale shaker( drying shaker), then desander, desilter cone, the clean fluids can be processed by decanter centrifuge directly. The cuttings are transferred to vertical cutting dryer, then to decanter centrifuge, the clean fluids are collected and re-used in offshore drilling rig.

GN solids control showed our drilling waste management both for offshore and onshore, including vertical cutting dryer, decanter centrifuge, hi-G shale shaker then dewatering system. There are vertical cutting dryer, horizontal cutting dryer, GN owns vertical cutting dryer CD930, it will be tested in drilling site soon. The most popular cutting dryer in the world is CSI cutting dryer.

If you need drilling waste management system, pls contact GN for the complete system design.