GEO-ECOLOGICAL PROBLEMS OF DRILLING WASTE DISPOSAL IN THE YAMAL PENINSULA

• Main Authors: Oreshkin Dmitrij Vladimirovich, Saharov Grigorij Petrovich, Chebotaev Aleksandr Nikolaevich, Kurbatova Anna Sergeevna
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English; Russian
• Published: Moscow State University of Civil Engineering (MGSU) 2012
• Subjects: building materials; geo-ecological safety; drilling waste; sludge; waste disposal; drilling fluid; Architecture; NA1-9428; Construction industry; HD9715-9717.5; Yamal Peninsula
• Online Access: https://doaj.org/article/a1c51f710b824994ae94e0318dcb8096

Crude oil and gas fields are located in remote areas known for their severe geological and climatic conditions that are aggravated by the presence of the paleocrystic frozen rock. Borehole drilling causes generation of the substantial amount of drilling waste. The sludge weighs millions of tons. Any rock is to remain frozen at any drilling site in the Yamal peninsula. Semifluid drilling waste occupies extensive areas around drilling sites; they prevent development of the surface infrastructure, they interfere with the work of drilling technicians and contribute to hazardous working conditions, they are a challenge to the local ecology. The above factors produce a negative impact on the environment and prevent sustainable development of the region. For example, disposal of drilling waste at condensed gas fields operated in the Yamal peninsula represents a substantial problem. Drilling waste contains drilling fluid used in the process of borehole drilling. It was discovered in the course of the preliminary research that drilling fluids were composite suspensions that contained bentonite, heavy spar, caustic soda, dilutants, and polymers. It was found out that the sludge was composed of silica, calcite, dolomite, aragonite, magnesite, some feldspars, heavy spar, gypsum and anhydrite, micas, hydromicas, clay minerals. Projections provided in the paper say that pre-neutralized sludge may be used in the manufacturing of building materials, such as bricks, claydite, small-size building units, etc. The authors argue that further research of the sludge elements and microstructure, as well as its chemical, mineral, granulometric and X-ray phase analyses need to be performed.