Oil-Based Mud Non-Landing (Zero-Discharge) System for Oilfield Drilling

2026-04-08

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Project Overview

An oilfield drilling project in China used oil-based drilling fluid and generated a large volume of oil-based cuttings. Local environmental requirements placed strict controls on oily drilling waste.

The customer needed to recover reusable drilling fluid, lower the oil content of discharged cuttings, and reduce waste handling costs without interrupting drilling operations.
TR supplied an integrated Oil-Based Mud Non-Landing (Zero-Discharge) System with cuttings drying, drilling fluid recovery, fine solids separation, conveying, and electrical control.

Oil-based mud non-landing system for oilfield drilling

Project Requirements

The project had four main requirements:

Reduce the oil content of treated cuttings for compliant disposal.
Recover reusable drilling fluid from oil-based cuttings.
Handle drilling waste at 30–60 t/h.
Reduce cuttings handling costs and drilling fluid consumption.

The system operates alongside drilling. Cuttings can enter the process as they are generated, eliminating the need for separate off-site collection.

System Configuration

Vertical Cuttings Dryer for high-G separation of drilling fluid from cuttings.
Screw Conveyors for enclosed transfer of solids.
Decanter Centrifuge for further separation of fine solids from the recovered liquid.
Explosion-Proof Electrical Control System for equipment control and operating parameter monitoring.

Together, these units form an integrated line for handling oil-based drilling waste, from cuttings transfer and fluid recovery to fine solids separation and system control.

Vertical cuttings dryer for oil-based cuttings treatment

Treatment Process

Oil-based cuttings enter the system through enclosed conveying equipment. The vertical cuttings dryer applies high-G separation to recover drilling fluid from the cuttings.

After drying, the liquid phase enters the decanter centrifuge for further removal of fine solids. The recovered drilling fluid can return to the drilling fluid system. Treated cuttings then move to the next disposal or utilization stage according to site requirements.

Drilling → Cuttings Collection → Drying → Drilling Fluid Recovery → Fine Solids Separation → Mud Reuse → Cuttings Disposal

The closed-loop arrangement reduces the need for conventional collection and off-site handling.

Project Results

>95%	<1%	30–60 t/h	>30%
Drilling Fluid Recovery	Oil Content in Treated Cuttings	Processing Capacity	Treatment Cost Reduction
The system recovered more than 95% of the targeted drilling fluid. Recovered liquid could return to the drilling fluid system, reducing fluid losses and consumption.	High-G drying and centrifugal separation reduced the oil content of treated cuttings to below 1%, according to on-site treatment data.	The modular system provides a processing capacity of 30–60 t/h. Treatment ran alongside drilling throughout the project.	Compared with conventional treatment, overall cuttings handling costs fell by more than 30%.

System Operation

The explosion-proof electrical control system provides centralized equipment control and real-time monitoring of operating parameters. The system operated steadily throughout the project cycle. Environmental acceptance was completed successfully on the first inspection.

Treated oil-based cuttings after high-G separation

Project Outcome

The system gave the customer a more direct way to manage oil-based cuttings at the drilling site. Drilling fluid recovery, solids separation, and enclosed conveying worked as one integrated process.

The result was a cleaner and more controlled waste handling process, with less reliance on conventional collection and transportation.