Land restoration following oil-well drilling and products useful therefor
Abstract
Abstract An admixture of waste (oil-well) drill cuttings, drilling fluid and by-products of rotary drilling are separated into good-quality water and high-density solids by chemical and mechanical means in original earthen-mud storage and/or reserve pits. The treatment produces two useful benefits: (1) good-quality water (useful for agriculture or for drilling a new well) is recovered, and (2) resulting concentrated solids are of such a high density that the land area occupied by and containing such dewatered solids can be immediately leveled and restored to the same use it had before the well was drilled. The effect is a reduction in energy of at least 75 to 85 percent over the present method of hauling whole mud off by trucks to a commercial waste-disposal site. When environmental considerations do not require restoration of the site and reserve pits are allowed to weather to a point of collapse, this process reduces or eliminates surface pollution of nearby creaks, rivers and ponds by preventing release of drilling-fluid chemicals. It also effects a net reduction in energy by breaking the pollution chain. Moreover, less equipment and chemicals are required at any point in the cycle.
Inventors
- 👤 Virgil L. Dover, Jr.
Bibliographic Details
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1985-10-11 | 1986-04-12 | 1986-10-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1989-10-11 | 1990-04-12 | 1990-10-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1993-10-11 | 1994-04-12 | 1994-10-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |