Legal Incentives

Design and Development of an Integrated System for the Management, Treatment, and Recycling of Drilling Fluid Waste Using Biotechnologies

Design and fabrication of a portable integrated system for the management and treatment of oil-based drilling fluid waste by combining mechanical processes (separation, dewatering, and filter pressing) with bioremediation using a modified vermicomposting reactor, configured as a mobile operational unit deployable at drilling rig sites, with the aim of achieving >90% hydrocarbon reduction, minimizing waste volume, and recovering water.

Oil Exploration Operations Company2026
Overview
  1. 1

    The challenge

    Variability in waste composition (solids content, TPH, viscosity, salts, and inhibitory additives); design of an integrated hybrid process coordinating mechanical and biological treatment stages; maintenance of optimal conditions in the vermicomposting reactor (moisture, temperature, aerobic conditions, feed ratio, and earthworm and microbial activity); selection of species resistant to petroleum compounds and salinity; design of tanks and pumps for non-Newtonian fluids containing suspended solids; prevention of filter press clogging; integration of equipment within a mobile unit under space and weight constraints; and continuous monitoring of TPH, COD, pH, moisture, and solids content.

  2. 2

    Our approach

    Baseline studies to characterize waste properties and identify key process parameters; conceptual process design covering pretreatment, bioremediation, dewatering, and final separation stages; development of a modified vermicomposting bioreactor; design of buffer tanks with and without mixers; selection of suitable pumps; design of the dewatering and filter press units; layout design of the mobile operational unit; design of electrical, control, and instrumentation systems; and establishment of laboratory infrastructure for performance monitoring.

  3. 3

    The result

    A portable operational pilot system comprising receiving, homogenization, vermicomposting bioreactor, dewatering, and filter press sections; indigenous technical know-how for bioreactor design and the integrated treatment process; operation and maintenance procedures; performance evaluation based on pollutant reduction, bed stability, dewatering efficiency, and waste volume reduction; and final technical documentation, including engineering drawings, test reports, laboratory results, and an industrial scale-up feasibility assessment.

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Design and Development of an Integrated System for the Management, Treatment, and Recycling of Drilling Fluid Waste Using Biotechnologies | Novaco