Exploring the Nuances of Oil Recovery from Water-Based Drilling Fluid Waste through a Pilot-Scale Experimental Investigation of Hydrocyclone Separation Performance

Abstract

Despite the benefits of the oil and gas sector, concerns about environmental impact and waste generation persist. A significant waste product is spent drilling fluid, constituting the second-largest volume of residues in oil Exploration & Production (E&P). Treating this residue, rich in harmful substances, especially crude oil, is vital in the exploration and production (E&P) stage. Existing research on drilling fluid waste treatment faces challenges in practical applications, which are crucial due to substantial waste volumes in E&P activities. In this sense, optimizing existing techniques and developing new methodologies for treating and using the oil removed from the fluid is an essential alternative for the sector. This thesis focuses on practical applications, using a hydrocyclone for oil separation from water-based drilling fluid waste. The hydrocyclone proves promising with its efficiency, low energy consumption, and widespread application. Experimental tests yielded promising results. Hydrocyclone in-series experiments demonstrated potential for increased oil recovery and improved separation efficiency. After the last in-series experiments, the predominant fraction showed a 67% reduction in oil content, decreasing to 13 %v/v. This reduction marks a substantial step toward economically viable oil recovery. The method can operate continuously with a fluid flow of around 7 m3 ·h −1 , demonstrating industrialscale feasibility. Pilot-scale experiments provide a more representative perspective in drilling fluid waste treatment. Future work involves using data from experimental tests and dimensional numbers to propose improved hydrocyclone geometries for oil recovery from water-based drilling fluid waste, replicating experimental results through computational fluid dynamics (CFD), and conducting simulations with the proposed geometries. Finally, it also involves the optimization of the pilot plant using numerical data and the conduction of experimental tests utilizing authentic drilling fluid samples.