Portable drilling waste treatment

Abstract

An apparatus comprising a conduit, a separator, a blower, and a mixing unit positioned on a portable unit that can be stationed at a drilling site. The conduit can be positioned at a sludge source such that a combination of a sludge and air is introduced into the conduit when a pressure in the conduit is reduced. The separator is coupled to the conduit and receives the combination from the conduit and separates the sludge from the air. The blower is in fluid communication with the separator and the conduit and decreases a pressure in them to continuously pull the combination of the sludge and the air from the source directly to the separator via the conduit. The mixing unit receives the material and the sludge at selectable rates and mixes them to generate a treated material that exhibits physical and chemical characteristics that allow placement in a landfill.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A portable apparatus for treatment of drilling waste, the apparatus comprising:
 a portable unit that is capable of being portably stationed at a drilling site where the drilling waste is produced;   a first separator positioned on the portable unit, configured to receive a combination of the drilling waste and air, and configured to substantially separate the drilling waste from the air, the first separator including a first aperture near a top of the first separator, a first bottom opening, and a second aperture;   a conduit including a first end that is coupled to the first aperture and a second end configured to be positioned at a drilling waste source;   a blower positioned on the portable unit, coupled to the second aperture, and configured to decrease a pressure in the conduit to continuously pull the drilling waste from the drilling waste source directly into the first separator;   a first metering auger positioned on the portable unit below the bottom opening of the first separator and configured to move the drilling waste that exits from the first separator via the first bottom opening to a first spout at a distal end of the first metering auger;   a treatment material container positioned on the portable unit, configured to hold a treating material, and including a bottom opening;   a second metering auger positioned on the portable unit below the bottom opening of the treatment material container and configured to move the treating material that exits from the treatment material container via the bottom opening a second spout at a distal end of the second metering auger; and   an inclined mixing auger positioned on the portable unit, the inclined mixing auger including a waste material inlet that is positioned below the first spout of the first metering auger and configured to receive the drilling waste from the first metering auger via the first spout at a first rate, a treating material inlet that is positioned below the second spout of the second metering auger and configured to receive the treating material from the second metering auger via the second spout at a second rate, and an exit aperture, the inclined mixing auger configured to mix the drilling waste with the treating material at an adjustable rate that is based at least partially on an angle of incline of the inclined mixing auger.   
     
     
         2 . The portable apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first rate of the first metering auger, the second rate of the second metering auger, and the incline of the inclined mixing auger are independently set such that a treated drilling waste exiting the inclined mixing auger exhibit physical and chemical characteristics that allow the treated drilling waste to be used as a fill material or to be placed in a landfill. 
     
     
         3 . The portable apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the conduit includes a circular cross-sectional shape with a diameter of between about four inches and about six inches;   the treating material includes hydroscopic or cementitious material;   the physical and chemical characteristics include the treated drilling waste being a solid and inert; and   a total distance that the drilling waste travels between the first separator and a point at which the waste material is deposited into the inclined mixing auger is not more than about 30 feet.   
     
     
         4 . The portable apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the waste material inlet is spaced apart from the treating material inlet such that the treating material is then deposited in the inclined mixing auger. 
     
     
         5 . The portable apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a conveyor belt positioned below the exit aperture and extending from inclined mixing unit off the portable unit. 
     
     
         6 . The portable apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the angle of incline of the inclined mixing auger is adjustable such that the drilling waste and the treating material are mixed at a particular rate. 
     
     
         7 . The portable apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a control panel that is configured to control rates of the first metering auger, the second metering auger, the mixing auger, and the angle of incline of the mixing auger. 
     
     
         8 . The portable apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the portable unit includes a barge. 
     
     
         9 . The portable apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more other separators positioned between the first separator and the blower. 
     
     
         10 . A method of treating drilling waste on a portable unit that is capable of being portably stationed at a drilling site where the drilling waste is produced, the method comprising:
 separating the drilling waste from mud at a drilling waste source;   creating a low pressure in a conduit having a first end that is positioned at the drilling waste source;   continuously pulling via the conduit a combination of the drilling waste and air directly from the drilling source to the portable unit;   separating, in a separator, the drilling waste from the air via cyclonic separation;   delivering, at a first selectable rate, the drilling waste from the separator to a mixing unit;   delivering, at a second selectable rate, a treating material from a treatment material container to the mixing unit;   mixing, in the mixing unit, at a third selectable rate the delivered treating material with the delivered drilling waste; and   independently selecting the first selectable rate, the second selectable rate, and the third selectable rate such that a treated drilling waste resulting from the mixing exhibits physical and chemical characteristics that allow the treated drilling waste to be used as a fill material or to be placed in a landfill.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 positioning the mixing unit at an inclined angle such that the drilling waste and the treating material travel uphill as the drilling waste and the treating material are mixed; and   selecting the inclined angle.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the physical and chemical characteristics include solidifying the drilling waste. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein a waste material inlet of the mixing unit is spaced apart from a treating material inlet of the mixing unit such that the treating material is delivered to the mixing unit on top of the drilling waste. 
     
     
         14 . A mobile waste material treatment apparatus configured to generate a treated material that exhibits physical and chemical characteristics that allow the treated material to be placed in a landfill, the apparatus comprising:
 a portable unit that is capable of being portably stationed at a drilling site;   a conduit having a first end configured to be positioned at a sludge source such that a combination of a sludge and air is introduced into the conduit via the first end when a pressure in the conduit is reduced;   a separator coupled to a second end of the conduit, the separator configured to receive the combination of the sludge and the air from the conduit and to separate the sludge from the air;   a blower in fluid communication with the separator and the conduit and configured to decrease a pressure in the separator and the conduit to continuously pull the combination of the sludge and the air from the sludge source directly into the separator via the conduit; and   a mixing unit configured to receive a hydroscopic or cementitious material and the sludge at selectable rates and to mix the hydroscopic or cementitious material and the sludge to generate a treated material from hydroscopic or cementitious material and the sludge,   wherein the treated material exhibits physical and chemical characteristics that allow the treated material to be placed in a landfill, and   wherein the mixing unit, the blower, and the separator are positioned on the portable unit and the conduit extends from the portable unit.   
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein:
 the mixing unit is further configured to receive an accelerator and to combine the hydroscopic or cementitious material with the accelerator, and   the accelerator includes a sodium silicate, a calcium chloride, water, an acid, a ferric chloride solution, or a lubricant.   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a container;   a first metering auger configured to move the sludge from the separator to the mixing unit at a first selectable rate;   a second metering auger configured to move the hydroscopic or cementitious material from the container to the mixing unit at a second selectable rate;   a conveyor belt positioned below the mixing unit and extending from the mixing unit off the portable unit;   a secondary separator configured to remove any residual sludge from a section of conduit positioned between the separator and the blower;   a motor coupled to the blower to drive the blower; and   a hydraulic motor hydraulically coupled to the mixing unit, the second metering auger, and the first metering auger and configured to power the mixing unit, the second metering auger, and the first metering auger,   wherein the hydraulic motor, the motor, the secondary separator, the conveyor belt, the second metering auger, the container, and the first metering auger are positioned on the portable unit.   
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the mixing unit includes an inclined mixing auger with a selectable angle of incline, the selectable angle of incline is oriented such that the sludge and the hydroscopic or cementitious material travel uphill as the sludge and the hydroscopic or cementitious material mix. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein:
 the mixing unit includes a waste material inlet configured to receive the sludge and a treating material inlet configured to receive the hydroscopic or cementitious material, and   the waste material inlet is spaced apart from the treating material inlet such that the hydroscopic or cementitious material is then deposited in the mixing unit.   
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the portable unit includes a trailer. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , further comprising a control panel that is configured to control rates of the first metering auger, the second metering auger, the mixing auger, and the selectable angle of incline of the mixing auger.