Aspects of Drilling Waste Involvement in Soil Formation Process

Abstract

Considered the possibilities of drill cuttings involvement in the processes of ecosystem functioning as parent material and soil-like materials (organolithostrates, constructozems). Model experiments were carried out with drilling waste and model mixtures that included sand, kieselgur, peat, phosphogypsum, cement and crude oil. To assess the properties of mixtures and their possible impact on the components of the environment, a water migration index was used. We revealed that optimal ratio of components in the construction design of soil-like materials was: drill cuttings (not more than 7 %), sand (not less than 20 %), kieselgur (not less than 4 %) with content of total petroleum hydrocarbon not more than 50 g/kg. Optimization of drill cutting properties let us design soil-like ground that could be organically integrate and function in the ecosystem. Restrictions on the use of newly formed substrates are the content of highly soluble salts – chlorides, which are not amenable to regulation and are not standardized in soils and grounds today.