Disposal and reuse of drilling solid waste from a massive gas field

Drilling solid waste is a typical industrial solid waste, and it is a major pollutant source to ecological environment around gas fields. A gas field in Southwest China is a self-contained marine gas field, presently with a large scale and great abundance. It also belongs to the five large gas fields of China with exploration above 2 x 10(11)m(3). Spot investigation and experimental study showed that the drilling solid waste was made up of drilling mud and rock cuttings. After solidified disposal, the waste belonged to the second general industrial solid waste, and environmental impacts related to the waste water were characterized as pH, COD and SS. According to traffic distance to the local town, alternative control projects were brick production and cement solidification. Drilling solid waste from the central field was collected and piled up in a massive landfill, then gradually calcined to brick; while drilling solid waste from the ambient field was mainly on-the-spot solidified, later for activity site. The study is significant for waste pollution control and gas field management. However, further studies are in progress to solve the problems such as waste water pollution of the massive landfill and the solidified pools, secondary air pollution of the brick factory. (C) 2016 Published by Elsevier B.V.