Method and apparatus for avoiding water pollution at an offshore drilling site

Claim 2

Process for treating a fluidized effluent stream resulting from the drilling of an offshore location well bore beneath a body of water, said effluent stream comprising particulated drilling cuttings from said well bore, a drilling mud, and at least one non-water soluble petroleum base constituent characterized by a lesser density than the water at said offshore location, which process includes the steps of; a. washing the effluent stream in a liquid detergent solution to displace said at least one non-water soluble constituent from said particulated drilling cuttings, b. discharging said particulated drilling cuttings into said body of water, substantially free of said non-water soluble petroleum base constituent, and c. recycling said detergent and drilling mud components for reuse in the process.

Claim 3

In the process as defined in claim 1 including the step of; washing detergent solution from said drilling cuttings prior to discharging the latter into said body of water.

Claim 4

In the process as defined in claim 2 wherein; the drilling cuttings are washed free of said detergent solution in a stream of a non-water polluting liquid.

Claim 5

In the process as defined in claim 2 wherein; the drilling cuttings are washed free of said detergent solution by contact with a water stream.

Claim 6

In the process as defined in claim 1 wherein; the drilling cuttings are washed free of said detergent solution in water drawn from the surrounding body of water.

Claim 7

In the process as defined in claim 1 including; the step of separating substantially all of the drilling mud constituent from said effluent stream prior to washing the latter in a liquid detergent.

Claim 8

In the process as defined in claim 1 including; the step of separating drilling mud from said effluent stream prior to the washing of the latter, whereby to provide an effluent stream comprising essentially unwashed particulated drilling cuttings.

Claim 9

In the process as defined in claim 7 wherein; said step of separating drilling mud from said effluent stream is achieved by passing said effluent stream across a perforated surface characterized by openings of insufficient size to pass said particulated drilling cuttings therethrough.

Claim 10

In the process as defined in claim 1 wherein; said recycled detergent and drilling mud components, includes said non-water soluble constituent displaced from said drilling cuttings.

Claim 11

In the process as defined in claim 9 wherein; said recycled detergent and drilling mud components are separated into discrete segments thereof prior to recycling of said respective components.

Claim 12

Method for drilling a well bore into the substratum at an offshore location beneath a body of water, which comprises the steps of; a. lowering a suspended rotating drill string into said substratum to form said well bore, b. urging a pressurized flow of drilling mud downwardly through said rotating drill string whereby the pressurized fluid will pass upwardly along the annulus formed intermediate said drill string and the adjacent walls of said bore, said upward flow of drilling mud flow comprising particulated drilling cuttings from said bore and at least one non-water soluble petroleum base material, c. washing the non-water soluble constituents from the particulated drilling cuttings with a detergent solution, and discharging said washed particulated drilling cuttings into said body of water, and d. recycling said mud and detergent solution.

Claim 13

Method for drilling a well bore into the substratum at an offshore location beneath a body of water, which comprises the steps of; a. lowering a suspended rotating drill string into said substratum to form said well bore, b. urging a pressurized flow of drilling mud downwardly through said rotating drill string whereby the pressurized fluid will pass upwardly along the annulus formed intermediate said drill string and the adjacent walls of said bore, said upward flow of drilling mud flow comprising particulated drilling cuttings from said bore and at least one non-water soluble petroleum base material, c. washing the non-water soluble constituents from the particulated drilling cuttings with a detergent solution, and discharging said washed particulated drilling cuttings into said body of water, and d. recycling said mud and detergent solution.