Composition for oil and gas drilling fluids with solidification agent, cell transport agent and cellulosic additive

• US 6,809,067 B2
• Filed: 05/03/2002
• Issued: 10/26/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: James Richard Von Krosigk
• Original Assignee: James Richard Von Krosigk
• Inventors: Von Krosigk, James Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Tucker, Philip C.
• Application Number:
  US10/138,885
• Publication Number:
  US 20020169080A1
• Time in Patent Office: 907 Days
• Field of Search: 507/104, 507/108, 507/113, 507/138, 507/140, 507/141, 507/145, 175/66, 175/64, 166/293
• US Class Current: 507/104
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/02 Well-drilling compositions

Abstract

A composition for oil and gas drilling fluids containing organic contaminants comprising: a solidification agent; cell transport agent; a cellulosic additive; and wherein said composition comprises enough solidification agent to enable the solidification agent to electrolytically attract the organic contaminates to the surface of the solidification agent when hydrated.

Claims

1. A flowing powdered composition comprising:

a. an oil and gas drilling fluid cuttings containing organic contaminants;

b. a powdered free-flowing solidification agent adapteded for highly charged absorption and adapted to enable the organic contaminates of drilling fluid cuttings to adhere to the molecular surface of the powdered free-flowing solidification agent;

c. a cell transport agent for combining with the powered free-flowing solidification agent and the organic contaminate of the oil and gas drilling fluid cuttings to form a free flowing absorptive metal citrate;

d. a cellulosic additive consisting of an oleophilic fibrous agent forming a mixture; and

wherein said mixture comprises enough powdered free flowing solidification agent to enable the powdered free flowing solidification agent to electrolytically attract substantially all of the organic contaminates in the oil and gas drilling fluid cuttings to the surface of the powdered free flowing solidification agent when hydrated.

2. The composition of claim 1, wherein said fluid cuttings comprise drilling process fluids and drilling completion fluids.

3. The composition of claim 2, wherein said drilling process fluids and drilling completion fluids are drilling muds.

4. The composition of claim 1, wherein said solidification agent is a member of the group:

alkaline earth metal oxide, alkaline earth metal hydroxide, a high lime based ash, a Portland cement, and combinations thereof.

5. The composition of claim 1 wherein said solidification agent is a member of the group consisting of:

magnesium oxide, magnesium peroxide, magnesium hydroxide, magnesium silicate, calcium oxide, calcium peroxide, calcium hydroxide, calcium silicate, and combinations thereof.

6. The composition of claim 1, wherein said solidification agent is a member of the group consisting of:

magnesium hydride, magnesium borate, magnesium nitrate, magnesium phosphate, magnesium sulfate, calcium hydride, calcium borate, calcium nitrate, calcium phosphate, calcium carbonate, calcium sulfate, and combinations thereof.

7. The composition according to claim 1, wherein said solidification agent is a member of the group:

a. potassium oxide, potassium peroxide, potassium hydroxide, potassium hydride, potassium borate, potassium nitrate, potassium phosphate potassium silicate, potassium sulfate;

b. cesium hydroxide, cesium carbonate, cesium sulfate;

c. sodium oxide, sodium peroxide, sodium hydroxide, sodium hydride, sodium borate, sodium nitrate, sodium phosphate, sodium silicate, sodium sulfate;

d. lithium oxide, lithium hydroxide, lithium borohydride; and

combinations thereof.

8. The composition of claim 1, wherein the solidification agent is present in said composition in an amount up to 99wt. % of the composition.

9. The composition of claim 1, wherein said solidification agent is hydrophobized.

10. The composition of claim 1, wherein the cellulosic additive is is a Kenaf.

11. The composition of claim 1, wherein the cellulosic additive is present in said composition in an amount up to 50 wt % of the composition.

12. The composition of claim 1 wherein said cellulosic additive is a member of the group consistent of:

ground wood, ground corn, ground wheat, ground cotton, ground rice, ground hemp, ground sugar cane, pound nut shells, ground carboxy methyl cellulose, pulverized recycled paper, ground kenaf, and combinations thereof.

13. The composition of claim 1, wherein the cell transport agent is a non-toxic organic acid.

14. The composition of claim 13, wherein the non toxic organic acid is a high molecular weight, naturally occurring acid.

15. The composition of claim 1, wherein said cell transport agent is a member of the group, humic acid, fulvic acid, citric acid, fulvates, citrates, humates, lignins and combinations thereof.

16. The composition of claim 1, wherein said cell transport agent is an allomelanian derived acid.

17. The composition of claim 1, wherein said cell transport agent is a member of the group consisting of:

lactic acid, citric acid and combinations thereof.

18. The composition of claim 1, wherein said cell transport agent is a member of the group consisting of lactic acid, citric acid, humic acid, fulvic acid, acetic acid, phosphoric acid, sulfuric acid, carbonic acid, nitric acid, and combinations thereof.

19. A method for treating drilling fluids with organic contaminates and drilling cuttings comprising the steps of:

a. mixing the drilling fluids with organic contaminates and drilling cuttings in a high shear mixer;

b. adding to the drilling fluids a powdered free-flowing solidification agent adapted for highly charged absorption and adapted to enable the organic contaminates to adhere to the molecular surface of the powered free-flowing solidification agent which expands when hydrated and electrolytically attracts said organic contaminates to its surface;

c. adding a cellulosic additive consisting of an oleophilic fibrous agent in an amount between 1 and 50 wt % based on the amount of said organic contaminate in the drilling fluid forming a mixture of free flowing absorptive metal citrate;

d. adding a cell transport agent for combining with the powdered free-flowing solidification agent and the organic contaminants of the oil and gas drilling fluid cuttings in an amount between 0.5 wt % and 10 wt % based on the amount of said organic contaminate in the non-soluble drilling fluid, wherein said cell transport agent is capable of transporting large organic molecules through cell walls and neutralizing said mixture to a pH of between 7 and 8; and

e. mixing at a high shear rate until said mixture forms a fine powder.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein said high shear rate mixing ranges from 5 minutes to 2 hours per batch.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein said high shear rate mixing is performed from between 10 minutes and 1 hour.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein said mixing is performed at a temperature between 210°

F. and 500°

F.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein said mixing is a continuous mixing process that occurs at a rate of 30-40 MT per hour.