Page 41: of Offshore Engineer Magazine (Jul/Aug 2020)

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TECH TALK Drilling Ef?ciency recovered powder is recycled for reuse in various applications. UÊ iVÌÀ?V>Êi??ÃÃ???ÃÊÜiÀiÊ>À?Õ?`ÊÎǯʏiÃÃÊV??«>Ài`ÊÌ?Ê

In adopting TCC RotoMill treatment at the rig site, recov- ¼Ã??«Ê>?`ÊÃ??«½ ered oil can be reused onsite within the drilling ?uid system, UÊ?`?ÀiVÌÊi??ÃÃ???ÃÊ>ÃÃ?V?>Ìi`ÊÜ?Ì?ÊÌ??À`Ê«>ÀÌÞÊÀ?>`Ê>?`Ê and water can safely and legally be discharged into the sea or Ã??«ÊÌÀ>?ë?ÀÌ>Ì???Ê«À?`ÕVi`ÊÌ?iÊ}Ài>ÌiÃÌÊ`?vviÀi?Vi]ÊÜ?Ì?Ê?n¯Ê used to dampen the rock dust powder before again being dis- iÃÃÊÕÃ??}ÊÌ?iÊ/

Ê,?Ì??Ê«À?ViÃÃÊ charged to sea, where it disperses with marine currents. The overall results revealed the carbon footprint of the TCC

Our research used three variables to establish the baseline RotoMill utilized to treat drill cuttings at source on an off- data required to calculate the carbon footprint: average plat- shore rig was approximately half of that of an equivalent ‘skip form distance from Peterhead (263 km), average total well and ship’ operation. Furthermore, additional bene?ts include depth (7,664 ft.), and average total weight cuttings produced the diversion of waste powder from land?ll, produced oil be- per well (582t). ing re-used in the offshore drilling system, and wastewater re-

In total, the data for nine wells from four different plat- quiring no further treatment. forms was analyzed; ?ve wells utilized the TCC RotoMill® to This study really raised our awareness of the CO2e emis- treat drill cuttings offshore with the remaining four using the sions associated with each process and highlighted where fu- alternative ‘skip and ship’ to shore method. ture savings may be made.

Three data scopes were measured and analyzed: As HSE, cost-ef?ciency, and low carbon drilling continue

UÊ ??ÃÃ???ÃÊÀi>Ì??}Ê`?ÀiV̏ÞÊÌ?Êi?}??iÊvÕiÊÕÃ>}iÊ>?`Ê to be the focus for all operators, I expect that the processing of

V??«>?Þ??Ü?i`ÊÛi??ViÃÊÜiÀiÊ>??ÃÌÊ{ίʏiÃÃÊÕÃ??}ÊÌ?iÊ/

Ê drilling cuttings offshore will continue to be adopted as best ,?Ì??Ê«À?ViÃà practice and throughout the North Sea and beyond.

Source: TWMA

JULY/AUGUST 2020 OFFSHORE ENGINEER 41