Oilfield Drill Cuttings Management

iQ Energy has developed a unique and cost-effective modular solution able to effectively recover 98% or more of the oil-based drilling fluids as clean and pristine reusable base oil; recover 95-100% of the water for reuse; and completely clean the mineral based materials (essentially rock from the drill bore) of all oil allowing the beneficial re-use or delivery to a non-regulated landfill.

During the normal oil well drilling process, oil-based drilling mud is continuously recirculated under very high pressures and flows, traveling down the center of the drill stem, through the drill bit as it rotates and back up the outside of the drill stem to the surface. Once back at the surface, the drill cuttings from the drill bore are constantly being separated from the drilling fluid flow using a variety of rig mounted mechanical cleaning systems that essentially filter the drilling fluid liquid which is then pumped back down the well bore. In the case of oil-based mud systems, the resulting to-be-disposed-of solids can contain up 30-50% oil-based drill fluid by volume and must be mixed-down with other clean and dry materials (such as sawdust or shavings) to provide a transportable material that can be then safely hauled to disposal landfills – typically via dump trucks.

There are currently millions of tons of oil-based drill cuttings stored in oil field waste landfills around the world with millions of tons being added annually. There is a great worldwide need in the drilling industry for a cost effective and mobile at–the-rig process that can effectively and efficiently eliminate the current collect/mix/haul/store waste management practice.

Biosolids Remediation

The IQ system is a modular, scalable, cost-effective on-site solution able to receive primary or secondary bio-solids either as a de-watered solid or a high TSS liquid form. These can be converted via IQ’s  patented indirect gasification process to high-value syn-gas fuel providing energy to a proprietary ORC heat recovery generator with all waste heat being returned to the front of the process and used for drying/pre-heating before the gasification step.

Biosolids treatment and disposal is one of the most significant costs associated with worldwide water and wastewater treatment accounting for up to 50% of total operating costs. (Gyurasits, M.2008) (Spinoza, L, 2007). W.E.F (WERF.org) estimates that sludge disposal at medium sized wastewater accounts for 31% of total operating costs. Existing outlets such as beneficial re-use in agriculture are coming under pressure and there is a growing movement to try and recover energy and resources from waste sludge.