Fixed film bioprocess for removing carbon compounds in oil and gas drilling sludge

• Main Authors: HAUSIN VOLKER A, CHEATHAM EDDIE L, WILSON DAVID A
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 13.07.2010
• Subjects: CHEMISTRY; CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO WASTEWATERTREATMENT OR WASTE MANAGEMENT; CRACKING HYDROCARBON OILS; DISPOSAL OF SOLID WASTE; FUELS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; LUBRICANTS; METALLURGY; MINERAL WAXES; PEAT; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; PRODUCTION OF LIQUID HYDROCARBON MIXTURES, e.g. BY DESTRUCTIVEHYDROGENATION, OLIGOMERISATION, POLYMERISATION; RECLAMATION OF CONTAMINATED SOIL; RECLAMATION OF CONTAMINED SOIL SOIL; RECOVERY OF HYDROCARBON OILS FROM OIL-SHALE, OIL-SAND, ORGASES; REFINING MIXTURES MAINLY CONSISTING OF HYDROCARBONS; REFORMING OF NAPHTHA; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ARTCOLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS; TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINSTCLIMATE CHANGE; TRANSPORTING; TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE

A system for recycling drilling sludge is disclosed. The system has a treatment area and a salt-tolerant bio-reactor coupled to the treatment area. The bio-reactor has i) at least one bio-suspension element for supporting the growth of at least one type of biological microorganism within an enclosed flow zone; ii) an agitator for creating a flow of the drilling sludge through the enclosed flow zone at a flow rate; and iii) an aerator for providing a gas to the enclosed flow zone. The system also has a processor coupled to the agitator and configured to create at least a minimum self-cleaning drag force between drilling sludge passing through the enclosed flow zone and the combined at least one type of biological microorganism and the at least one bio-suspension element. A related method and bio-reactor are also disclosed.