ESTIMATION OF DRILLING WASTE AN ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERN WHILE DRILLING OIL AND GAS WELLS

1. ESTIMATION OF DRILLING WASTES –
AN ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERN WHILE
DRILLING OILAND GAS WELLS
BY:
DAVNINDER SINGH
M.TECH(PE)
SAPID: 500074298
ROLL NO. : R770219004
ADDITIONAL COURSES:
1. Natural Gas
2. Safety in the utility
industry

2. CONTENT
1) INTRODUCTION
2) ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES BASED ON
LOCATION
3) MINIMIZATION AND MANAGEMENT OF
DRILLING WASTE
4) CONCLUSIONS

3. INTRODUCTION
• The wastes generated during any drilling operation includes: drilling cuttings, drilling
fluids, chemical additives, heavy metals, as well as air pollutants.
Types of Drilling Waste
Drill cuttings, contaminated drilling fluid, contaminated additives, air pollutants and heavy metals.
Drilling Fluids
 Aqueous Based Fluids
 Non-Aqueous Based Fluids:

4. Cont.……
Classification of Drilling Waste
Exempt Wastes
Drill Cuttings
Chemical Additives
Air Emissions
Non-Exempt Wastes
I. Non-Exempt Hazardous
Waste
II. Non-Exempt Non-
Hazardous Wastes and
III. Non-Exempt Special
Wastes

5. IMPACTS OF DRILLING WASTES
ENVIRONMENT
• POLLUTION OF WATER
BODIES
• LAND POLLUTION
• AIR POLLUTION….
HUMAN HEALTH
• SKIN IRRITATION
• LUNG DAMANGE
• RESPIRATORY
PROBLEMS………
PLANTS &
ANIMALS
• REDUCTION IN
GROWTH
RATE(PLANTS)
• HYPOTHERMIA
OIL COAT KILLS………

6. ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES BASED ON LOCATION
• OFFSHORE
waste must be treated to an
acceptable level before being
discharged and this implies extra
cost. It is therefore highly
recommended that, before any
waste disposal method is
selected, an extensive economic
and environmental analysis be
performed to evaluate the
options
OFFSHORE WASTE MANAGEMENT

7. DISPOSAL METHODS FOR OFFSHORE OPERATIONS
• OFFSHORE DISCHARGE: WBM can be easily discharged
Non-aqueous based fluids
• CUTTINGS REINJECTION: Making of slurry
injection to formation via annulus or dedicated
disposal well.
• TRANSPORTING TO ONSHORE: Transport drilling waste to onshore treatment
facility like land spreading, injection or reuse.

8. Disposal Methods For Onshore Operations
Onsite Burial & Waste Pits Landfills Bioremediation
Land-farming /Land Spreading Composting Vermiculture

9. MINIMIZATION AND MANAGEMENT OF DRILLING WASTE
• Waste Management Hierarchy ("3 Rs" Reduce, Reuse and Recycle)

10. Cont…
•Source Reduction
•Waste Recycling
•Waste Reuse or Recovery
•Waste Disposal

11. Practices that Minimize Drilling Waste Generation
• Use of a Cleaner Energy Source
• Waste Volume Estimation
• Waste Management Plan

12. Waste Volume Estimation

13. 10 STEPS OF WASTE MANAGEMENT PLAN
STEP 1 - Seek for management approval and support plan
STEP 2 - Identify area of coverage
STEP 3 - Identify all waste in an operation area
STEP 4 - Classify each waste accordingly
STEP 5 - Estimate the volume of each waste stream
STEP 6 - Identify Opportunities for waste minimization based on
STEP 7 - Identify all management options for each waste from these sources
STEP 8 - Select management practices that satisfy all regulations
STEP 9 - Prioritize selected options on the basis of the following
STEP 10 - Plan review and update

14. Drilling Waste Management Screening Criteria

15. CONCLUSIONS
• Based on the theoretical and practical observations made from this research work, the following deductions
and conclusions can be made:
 Waste volume estimations plays a critical role in managing drilling and associated waste and should at all-times
be estimated and incorporated into the waste management plan.
 The disposal and waste management cost is directly related to the volume of waste generated and as such,
minimization as a waste management method must be a priority to other methods.
 Selection of the optimum drilling waste management method must always be subjected to extensive
environmental, technical and economic analysis as these are the main drivers. A screening criterion has been
developed to help quicken the decision-making process.
 For effective drilling waste management, the ten waste management steps must be followed critically.

16. THANK YOU!