BAKER HUGHES - Drilling Fluids Reference Manual

FLUIDS ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES
• Improved working environment
• Reduced CO 2 pollution due to reduced transportation of slops
• Increased reuse of brine
• Chemical consumption for treating slop reduced because fluids are separated using
mechanical methods
• Regeneration of drilling fluids is made nearer to the user; i.e. on rig
• Decreased transportation costs
Equipment Set-Up and Operation
The fluid being processed consists of oil contaminated brines, seawater, soap, freshwater and water
generated at the surface from drilling and completion operations. After the shaker screens, the
decanter unit removes the solids by a mechanical process, exposing the fluid to 3000 G. The fluid is
then transferred to the separator unit for oil removal. The disc-stack separator unit also uses a
mechanical process, exposing the fluid to 10,000 G, thereby reducing the oil content to less than 40
ppm (mg/l). In order to further reduce the oil content of the water to be discharged, a guard filter
consisting of oil absorbing cartridge filters is installed to polish the fluid after separation. The
hydrocarbon content is measured before the fluid is reused or discharged to the sea.
FLUID
WELL
TEMP.
50-60° C
FROM
OIL
BRINE
COLLECTING
TANK / PIT
20°C
SHAKER
320 US MESH
SIZE
SOLIDS
TO
SLUDGE
TANK
OIL
CONTAINER
Baker
Separator
Baker
Decanter
SOLIDS
CONTAINER
OIL
ABSORBING
CARTRIDGE
FILTERS
HC > 40 mg/l
IR
HYDROCARBON
HC < 40 mg/l
REUSE OR
DISCHARGE
Figure 14 - 10 Schematic of Set-up of a Typical Slop Treatment Scenario on
an Offshore Rig
BAKER HUGHES DRILLING FLUIDS
REFERENCE MANUAL
REVISION 2006 14-31