Efficient Closed Transportation Technologies for Offshore Water-Based Drilling Cuttings

In order to solve the problems of low transportation efficiency and high environmental protection risks in the process of offshore water-based drilling cuttings recovery, based on the analysis of the characteristics and transportation difficulties of water-based drilling cuttings, a set of efficient closed transportation technologies suitable for offshore water-based drilling cuttings transportation was studied, and the frictional resistance in the transportation process of drilling cuttings was analyzed. Research on resistance reduction and anti-blocking pigging technologies was also conducted. The model calculation results and field test data showed that the closed transportation of water-based drilling cuttings should adopt hydraulic transportation technology, combined with the design of transportation pipeline and pressurized mixer, to effectively reduce resistance and improve the velocity. When the pumping speed was set at 30%−100%, the transportation capacity was 7.5−25.7 m³/h, and the pumping pressure was 1.4−2.8 MPa. The research results show that the closed transportation technology of offshore water-based drilling cuttings solves the problems of efficient, closed, and long-distance transportation of water-based drilling cuttings. It can meet the needs of offshore drilling operations and is of great popularization, application, and commercialization value.