Latest developments in the microwave processing of oil contaminated drill cuttings

Abstract

The paper presents very recent results from a novel continuous, pilot scale microwave treatment process for the continuous treatment of oil contaminated drill cuttings. The requirements of a commercial scale system are outlined, and the necessary scale-up challenges are highlighted. The process has been developed for the remediation of contaminated drill cuttings at source, i.e. on offshore oil platforms of remote installations, with minimal demand for utilities and a very small footprint. The process separates the contaminant oil from the drill cuttings, leading to an inert solid material and an oil product that can potentially be reused within the mud system. The process can remediate the cuttings to below 0.1% oil. The unique heating mechanisms obtained using microwave treatment mean that the recovered oil is not degraded as can be the case with conventional thermal desorption or mechanical processes. The energy requirements are of the order of 100 kWh per tonne of cuttings treated, significantly lower than current technologies. This process has the potential to replace ship-to-shore practices for drill cuttings treatment, and provide a remediation option with a significantly lower energy requirement and CO2 footprint than existing technologies.