How to Dispose of Drilling Mud

Drilling mud is a term that refers to the lubricant used in oil drilling operations that stabilizes and lubricates the drill bit in the drilling process. Drilling mud comes in water-based and oil-based varieties. Both types of lubricant are regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency. Although drilling mud was granted an exemption from hazardous waste disposal regulations contained in the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, the discharge of this material is regulated by permit through the Clean Water Act and regulations set forth by the Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974.

Things You'll Need

• Shale shaker
• Chemical additives or reagents

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Instructions

• 1

  Separate the drilling mud from the cuttings. As drilling is done, drilling mud flows down the drilling bit and comes back up with cuttings. In order to reuse the mud in the drill's recirculating system, the mud and cuttings must be separated. This is accomplished by having the mixture flow up out of the drill hole and into a vibrating filter called a Shale Shaker. This device separates the mud from the debris that comes out of the drill hole and allows the drilling mud to be reused rather than immediately discarded or discharged.

• 2

  Solidify and stabilize the drilling mud remaining on the cuttings or shale. Cement, fly ash, lime or calcium oxide can be used to solidify the remaining drilling mud waste. This is done to bind the waste mud with the cuttings and make the resultant waste suitable for waste handling. It also makes the waste mud less toxic and more appropriate for land burial.

• 3

  Examine possibilities for beneficial reuse. Many drilling rigs have systems to capture spilled oil on the rig itself and reuse this previously lost fluid in additional drilling processes. Other types of recycling initiatives include the use of drill cuttings -- which may contain some drilling mud -- for use in road paving, construction fill, concrete aggregate products, restoration of damaged wetlands and for use as fuel. All of these beneficial reuse options are available only after processing of the cutting and mud waste.

• 4

  Bury the used drilling mud or utilize landfill services. Burial of drilling mud is at times misunderstood. It is not acceptable to simply collapse the walls of a drilling well over used drilling mud and cuttings. Instead, care must be taken to assure proper placement, moisture content and the absence of toxic metals. Many times landfill services are used in place of burial as a more suitable option.

• 5

  Discharge the drilling mud into the ocean. This method of disposal is one of the most highly regulated methods for disposal of drilling mud. In order to maintain compliance with federal regulations, drilling companies must abide by several federal standards. The most basic of these standards stipulates the maintenance of toxicity levels at or below federally mandated standards. These standards also prohibit discharge within three miles of the shoreline and ban the discharge of free oil or diesel oil.