Abstract: Drill cuttings associated with drilling fluid are thermally cleaned. The wet cuttings are fed into a vessel chamber having mechanical mixers, such as ribbon blenders, extending lengthwise of the chamber. Direct heating is applied to the chamber contents by introducing hot combustion gas from a heater. A combination of direct heating and mechanical back mixing of wet colder cuttings with drier hotter cuttings results in conditioning and conduction heating of the wet cuttings. The drilling fluid is evaporated and removed as gas. Dried cuttings are separately recovered. Caking and agglomeration of the solids is reduced.

Abstract: Hydrocarbon contaminants in drill cuttings generated in an oil drilling operation are removed by mixing the drill cuttings with an agglomerant to produce a pre-treatment mixture; heating to vaporize the hydrocarbon contaminants under a condition in which vapor entrainable particles of the drill cuttings are agglomerated by the agglomerant, and caking of drill cuttings is inhibited; drill cuttings having a reduced content of the contaminant are removed, and vaporized hydrocarbons having a reduced content of vapor entrainable particles are recovered. In this way, the particulate content of vapors escaping from the drill cuttings is reduced.

Abstract: Hydrocarbon contaminants in drill cuttings generated in an oil drilling operation are removed by mixing the drill cuttings with an agglomerant to produce a pre-treatment mixture; heating to vaporize the hydrocarbon contaminants under a condition in which vapor entrainable particles of the drill cuttings are agglomerated by the agglomerant, and caking of drill cuttings is inhibited; drill cuttings having a reduced content of the contaminant are removed, and vaporized hydrocarbons having a reduced content of vapor entrainable particles are recovered. In this way, the particulate content of vapors escaping from the drill cuttings is reduced.

Abstract: Liquids are removed from drill cuttings generated during drilling operations, recovered and recycled to the rig drilling fluid system, reducing the amount of waste generated and fluid lost. The process and apparatus to achieve this uses a fluid bed thermal desorption unit that vaporizes the liquids from the cuttings. A portion of this vapour is recycled to fluidize the bed, enhance heat transfer and maintain a low oxygen environment in the desorption chamber. The cuttings become the bed medium. The drilling fluid system is used to condense the vapours for re-use. The unit allows for varying rates of cuttings generation and varying composition of those cuttings.