Drill Cuttings Disposal Efficiency in Offshore Oil Drilling

• Published in: Journal of Marine Science and Engineering
• Main Authors: Alexey Cherepovitsyn, Andrey Lebedev
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute 2023
• Subjects: drill cuttings; waste management; offshore drilling; oil and gas fields; exploratory wells; Arctic region; circular economy; Arctic
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse11020317

The relevance of the study lies in the fact that with the depletion of conventional oil and gas reserves and an increase in the global demand for hydrocarbons, the focus of the industrial sector is gradually shifting towards the resources of the Arctic, which have tremendous potential for development. However, the current industrial policy has to take into account the concept of sustainable development, or harmony between economy, ecology, and society. Therefore, the extraction of raw materials must obey the principles of the circular economy, which aims to generate closed-loop cycles that maximize the use of the resources extracted and minimize waste generation so as not to destroy fragile ecosystems. It is necessary to drill wells for the discovery of a hydrocarbon deposit on the shelf, which entails the generation of a tremendous amount of complex waste., The use of disposal methods for drilling cuttings, which must be disposed of economically and with environmental reliability, is required to solve the problem. This study compares two methods of disposing of drilling waste. Statistical modeling results and a review of the literature show that the most effective method from both economic and environmental points of view is the thermomechanical cleaning of cuttings on site. This article discusses the advantages and disadvantages of both methods. It also evaluates drilling waste management prospects and opportunities for Russian offshore fields.