Wellsite Environmental Inc. Drilling Waste Management

 

 Prior to spudding the well, Wellsite Environmental Inc. will consult and coordinate with the client to review disposal options based on the well location, mud system being used, associated costs and client preferences for disposal options. A Wellsite Environmental Inc. field consultant will then go over a disposal plan with the drilling supervisor and applicable onsite personnel. 

WASTE REPORTING AND TRACKING

Wellsite Environmental Inc. will track the drilling waste that is generated by the well. The wastes hauled to landfill will be tracked onsite and the load summaries will be collected by Wellsite Environmental Inc. office from the disposal facility.

The volumes of cement returns and the recycled volume of invert will be collected from the drilling supervisor and included in the waste tracking report completed by Wellsite Environmental Inc. The DDS entry as per the AER requirements will be completed by Wellsite Environmental Inc. and included in this report.

 

 

ON-SITE DISPOSAL OPTIONS

 

  • Mix-Bury-Cover: A drilling waste disposal method that involves the spreading and incorporation of drilling waste solids or total waste into subsoil at a depth of 1m or more and covering the resulting mix with a minimum of 1m of clean subsoil.

  • Residual Solids Disposal: Collect and test samples of residual drilling waste solids and coordinate disposal hauling to class II landfill to meet criteria set out by provincial guidelines.

  • Landspread on Lease: A drilling waste disposal method that involves the spreading and incorporation of drilling waste solids or total waste into shallow subsoil.

OFF-SITE DISPOSAL OPTIONS

  • Landspray While Drilling (LWD): A drilling waste disposal method that involves the dispersion of non-toxic, water based drilling waste fluids or total waste onto a field by spraying at a specified, constant rate from a vacuum truck. Testing and supervision will be completed by a Wellsite Environmental Inc. field consultant, which also includes arranging and sampling for land and water access agreements.  Water applications and permitting will be completed when required.

  • Landspray/Landspray After Drilling: A drilling waste disposal method that is involves storing non-toxic; water based drilling waste fluids or total waste and having the waste tested at am accredited laboratory. Testing and supervision will be completed by a Wellsite Environmental Inc. field consultant, which also includes arranging and sampling for land and water access agreements. Water applications and permitting will be completed when required.

  • Facility Disposal : This may include fluids or total waste being sent to a downhole disposal facility such as a TRD or Cavern or Landfill. In the case of landfill a sample of the solids will be collected and sent to an accredited laboratory for analysis and once passing lab results are obtained an approval at a certified landfill will be obtained prior to hauling solids for disposal.

  • Pump Off Operations: Pumping the non-toxic, clear liquid portion of drilling waste from sumps onto the surface of land.

  • Sump Sampling and Disposal Management: Collect samples from sump acting as storage system for drilling waste to meet criteria set out by D50.

 


Pipeline Drilling Waste Disposal Options

 

The location of the pipeline construction typically will dictate what type of drilling waste disposal will be the best option.  In agriculture areas where cultivated lands are available, offsite disposal methods such as LWD may be the most time and cost efficient.  In forested areas, where transportation is timely and exspensive, disposing of the drilling waste via Landspread on Pipeline Right of Way may be the best method of disposal.  If a sump is used for storage prior to commencement of drilling operations it is crucial that the disposal methods that will be used are investigated and confirmed to ensure that there is no confusion which may cause delay or non-compliance.

ON-SITE DISPOSAL

Landspread On Lease/Pipeline Right Of Way: A drilling waste disposal method that involves applying the drilling waste at a calculated application rate and incorporating into the shallow subsoil. 

Mix Bury Cover:  A drilling waste disposal method that involves mixing the drilling waste with the subsoil at a predetermined mix ratio and capping the resulting soil/waste mix with a minimum or 1m of clean parent material.

OFF-SITE DISPOSAL

Landspray:  A drilling waste disposal method that involves storing non-toxic, water based drilling waste fluids or total waste before dispersing onto a field by spraying at a specified, constant rate from a vacuum truck or similar equipment.  Testing and supervision will be completed by a Wellsite Environmental Inc. field consultant.

Landspray While Drilling (LWD):  A drilling waste disposal method that involves the dispersion of non-toxic, water based drilling waste fluids or total waste onto a field by spraying at a specified, constant rate from a vacuum truck.  Management and supervision of all LWD activities will be completed by the Wellsite Environmental Inc.  field consultant which also includes arranging and sampling for application on applicable lands.

Sump Sampling and Disposal Management:  Involves collecting samples from any sumps acting as storage systems for drilling waste to determine a disposal management plan that meets criteria set out by applicable governmental regulations.

Pump Off Operations: A disposal method that involves pumping the non-toxic, clear liquid portion of drilling waste from sumps onto a land surface that meets applicable provincial regulations and criteria. 

Cuttings Management-Alternative Disposal:  Involves sampling the drill cuttings to be sent for laboratory analysis before coordinating equipment to haul the waste to landfill under applicable governmental criteria.  Landfill applications will be completed by Wellsite Environmental Inc. .

Facility Disposal: Utilizing waste management facilities for disposal of drilling waste.  At times it will be more time efficient and/or economical to utilize such facilities as opposed to more traditional methods such as Landspread on Pipeline Right of Way or Landspray.  The client is responsible to track the wastes that go to these facilities and Wellsite Environmental Inc.  can supervise the disposal as well as track the wastes and to summarize in drilling waste summary reports.

Reporting and Governmental Submission: At completion of the drilling operations Wellsite Environmental Inc.  will report on all works performed as well as summarize all drilling waste and disposal.  Depending on the client’s specific request Wellsite Environmental Inc.  can perform relevant governmental submissions.

 

Pipeline Drilling Waste Management

 

All drilling waste generated during Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) operations fall under the scope of provincial governmental regulations (i.e AER Directive 050) with specific tracking and disposal requirements.  Wellsite Environmental Inc. (WEI) provide complete drilling waste management services to ensure that the client meets all applicable regulations. 

Prior to commencement of any HDD operations Wellsite Environmental Inc. will consult and coordinate with the client what services will be required during any road boring or engineered drilling operations.  WEI will go over the most compliant, cost effective and efficient method of monitoring, handling and disposing of the drilling waste.  Some key points that will be addressed are included below. 

  • Regulatory requirements

    • Mud Additives

    • Drilling Waste Storage Criteria

    • Drilling Waste Disposal Criteria

    • Waste Tracking and Reporting Requirements

  • Client specific requirements

    • Safety

    • Environmental

    • Reporting

    • Frac-Out Responsibilities

  • Services required by client

    • Water Monitoring

    • Frac Walks and Inspection

    • Drilling Waste Management

    • Coordination of Disposal Equipment

    • Coordination of Disposal Facilities

  • Drilling Waste Storage Options

  • Drilling Waste Disposal Options

  • Coordination and Supervision of Associated Field Operations

Drilling Waste Management Plan: WEI will work with the client in developing a Drilling Waste Management Plan (DWMP) for the project.  This DWMP will outline what type of storage, handling, disposal and additive use will ensure compliance with governmental regulations as well as requirements for tracking of wastes that will be recorded and reported for government submission.

Mud System Review: WEI will review the proposed mud system before drilling operations start and provide an additive toxicity threshold report to the client outlining which products may exceed threshold limits and therefore place the client in non-compliance.

Waste Reporting and Tracking: Drilling wastes that are generated at each crossing will be recorded and tracked onsite.  The volumes per disposal event will be tracked and recorded.  Any and all trucking tickets will be collected and included in the drilling waste summary report.  Load summaries will be collected by WEI’s office from any facility used for disposal of drilling waste.

As per the applicable provincial regulations and client specific requests the drilling waste disposal information will be forwarded to the appropriate governing body, in Alberta this includes the Digital Data Submission.