Optimization of drilling mud conditioning for chemically-enhanced centrifuging

Document Type

Conference Proceeding

Publication Date

1-1-1994

Abstract

Chemically - enhanced centrifuging, CEC, is a drill site •process of environmental control of drilling mud. The process makes use of mud dewenerability in order to recycle the mud liquid phase and minimize waste volume. In this 'process, mud is chemically conditioned to enhance dewaterability -the ability of drilling fluid to release the free liquid phase. This paper introduces a simple method, a nine-point (9-P) experiment, to find the optimum dosages of ''coagulant, flocculent and dilution water that will minimize; both the volume of dewatered solids and, the cost of chemicals. The experimental layout is based on the statistical theory of factorial analysis, so only nine measurements of dewaterability are needed to conclusively search for optimum treatment. The paper explains the design of the 9-P experiment and its interpretation with calculations of trends and tendency plots. Also presenteis a feasibility evaluation of this method in terms of volume reduction compared to the treatment at random. The comparison shows a significant (1.8 and 2.4 -fold) increase in efficiency of volume reduction, Evk, and up to 3.7 - fold reduction of chemical usage resulting from optimal selection of the most active flocculent.

Publication Source (Journal or Book title)

Annual Technical Meeting 1994

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