As Yogi Berra is fond of saying, "it ain't over till it's over".During any oil-based mud drill cuttings treatment project,the task is not complete until the solids are clean andpermanently disposed, the oil is clean and reused, andthe water is clean and recycled or discharged. Theproject is over when the wastes pass the auspices of thelocal environmental rules and are no longer anenvironmental risk.Thermally desorbing the liquids from the drilledsolids is the easiest part of the job. It's the little thingsthat really make the difference between a successfulproject and a total failure. This is true not only for thetreatment company, but also for the oil company that isgenerating the cuttings. In most cases for these projectsto benefit all, they must be approached as a partnershipbetween the waste generator, the treatment companyand the environmental agency. Anything else can leadto problems.Our experience covers five continents and thesuccessful treatment of more than 500,000 tons of oil-baseddrill cuttings. We will share data concerning manyof our projects. Some problems will tend to be lighthearted while others will be more complicated.Problems have arisen due to inadequate planning whileothers have been born due to an interpretation of theregulations. This paper will cover topics includingtransporting and storing oil-base drill cuttings, the needto pre-treat for a consistent homogeneous feed, re-hydratingthe dried solids and separating the liquids intouseable oil and dischargeable water. All of these preand post treatment activities have a great deal to do withthe success of a project.Understanding the complete job and having anagreement between the treatment company, the oilcompany and the regulatory agencies prior to beginningthe project is essential. Even when you have done yourhomework, unexpected problems arise. We will sharesome of our problems and how they were overcome,thereby decreasing the environmental risks as well asthe financial risks associated with oil contaminatedcuttings.
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