Systems and methods for oil field solid waste processing for re-injection
First Claim
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1. A method of processing oil field waste for re-injection, the method comprising:
- (i) receiving waste from an oil field waste source, the waste including first solid particles and second solid particles;
(ii) separating the waste through a first particle size separator;
wherein the first solid particles having a particle size smaller than a particle size threshold, are transferred to a first slurry tank, combined with fluid to form a first slurry, and at least a portion of the first slurry is removed and re-circulated back into the first slurry tank at a velocity sufficient for reducing particle size upon impact of the first solid particles with the first slurry tank as the first slurry is re-circulated;
wherein the second solid particles having a size larger than the particle size threshold, are transferred to a particle size reduction apparatus, reduced in size, transferred to a second slurry tank, combined with fluid to form a second slurry, and at least a portion of the second slurry is removed and re-circulated back into the second slurry tank and, at a velocity sufficient for reducing particle size upon impact of the second solid particles with the second slurry tank as the second slurry is recirculated;
(iii) removing at least a portion of slurry from the first slurry tank to create first slurry tank removed slurry and transferring the first slurry tank removed slurry to a second particle size separator; and
(iv) separating the first slurry tank removed slurry into (a) waste solids having a particle size larger than the particle size threshold and into (b) a re-injection slurry comprising particles with a particle size smaller than the particle size threshold.
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Abstract
Systems and methods for processing solid wastes from oil field operations including removal of wastes from oil tanks by a washout and vacuum conveyance system to form a slurry containing solid particles, solid particle size reduction by one or more grinders and, optionally, high velocity transport through recirculation circuits and disposal by injection into a subterranean formation.
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Citations
33 Claims
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1. A method of processing oil field waste for re-injection, the method comprising:
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(i) receiving waste from an oil field waste source, the waste including first solid particles and second solid particles; (ii) separating the waste through a first particle size separator; wherein the first solid particles having a particle size smaller than a particle size threshold, are transferred to a first slurry tank, combined with fluid to form a first slurry, and at least a portion of the first slurry is removed and re-circulated back into the first slurry tank at a velocity sufficient for reducing particle size upon impact of the first solid particles with the first slurry tank as the first slurry is re-circulated; wherein the second solid particles having a size larger than the particle size threshold, are transferred to a particle size reduction apparatus, reduced in size, transferred to a second slurry tank, combined with fluid to form a second slurry, and at least a portion of the second slurry is removed and re-circulated back into the second slurry tank and, at a velocity sufficient for reducing particle size upon impact of the second solid particles with the second slurry tank as the second slurry is recirculated; (iii) removing at least a portion of slurry from the first slurry tank to create first slurry tank removed slurry and transferring the first slurry tank removed slurry to a second particle size separator; and (iv) separating the first slurry tank removed slurry into (a) waste solids having a particle size larger than the particle size threshold and into (b) a re-injection slurry comprising particles with a particle size smaller than the particle size threshold. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A system for processing oil field waste comprising:
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the oil field waste contained in a tank and comprising solid waste, oil-based mud, water-based mud, drill cuttings, crude oil sludge, cement residue, contaminated soil, and production tank bottoms; a vacuum vessel sized to hold several hundred barrels of liquid oil field waste, and a high volume vacuum pump connected to the tank said high volume vacuum pump is capable of producing negative pressure within the vacuum vessel; and
;a first particle separator positioned downstream of the vacuum vessel and a second particle separator positioned downstream of the first particle separator; a first slurry tank and a second slurry tank; and a particle size reduction apparatus; a first pump and a second pump; a first recirculation circuit and a second recirculation circuit and a transfer conduit; wherein; the first particle separator is operably connected to the particle size reduction apparatus and the first slurry tank; the particle size reduction apparatus is operably connected to the second slurry tank; the first pump is connected with the first slurry tank and the second particle separator in a manner to provide for re-circulation of slurry back into the first slurry tank through the first recirculation circuit and to transfer slurry to the second particle separator from the first slurry tank through the transfer conduit; the second pump is connected with the second slurry tank, the first particle separator, and the particle size reduction apparatus in a manner to provide for re-circulation of slurry back into at least one of the second slurry tank, the first particle separator, and the particle size reduction apparatus through the second recirculation circuit. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A system for processing oil field waste for re-injection, comprising:
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a first particle separator and a second particle separator; a first slurry tank, a second slurry tank, and a third slurry tank; a particle size reduction apparatus; a first pump and a second pump; a first recirculation circuit and a second recirculation circuit and a transfer conduit; wherein; the first particle separator is operably connected to the particle size reduction apparatus and the first slurry tank; the particle size reduction apparatus is operably connected to the second slurry tank; the second particle separator is operably connected to the third slurry tank; the first pump is connected with the first slurry tank and the second particle separator in a manner to provide for re-circulation of slurry back into the first slurry tank through the first recirculation circuit and to transfer slurry to the second particle separator from the first slurry tank through the transfer conduit; the second pump is connected with the second slurry tank, the first particle separator, and the particle size reduction apparatus in a manner to provide for re-circulation of slurry back into the second slurry tank, the first particle separator, or the particle size reduction apparatus through the second recirculation circuit; wherein a portion of slurry from the first slurry tank is transferred to the second particle separator and is separated through the second particle separator based on the particle size threshold of the second particle separator, wherein solid particles having a size below the particle size threshold of the second separator are transferred to the third slurry tank, and solid particles having a size above the particle size threshold are transferred to a transportable container. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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Specification