Harmless Treatment Solution for Drilling Waste: Environmental Protection and Resource Utilization during Construction

Harmless Treatment Solution for Drilling Waste: Environmental Protection and Resource Utilization during Construction

Traditional treatment methods for drilling mud and rock cuttings pose risks of land occupation and pollution. Modern environmental practices focus on harmless treatment and resource utilization, transforming waste into usable resources through innovative methods to achieve a win-win situation for both engineering and the environment.

The core of the treatment is separation, stabilization, and transformation. First, the waste is separated into solid and liquid components using equipment such as vibrating screens and centrifuges. The separated wastewater is purified and recycled or discharged in compliance with standards; the remaining solid material enters the stabilization stage. By adding solidifying materials such as cement and lime, or using specialized agents, harmful components are fixed and passivated, becoming stable and harmless, meeting the environmental requirements for safe landfill or subsequent utilization.

Resource utilization offers a higher-value solution. The harmlessly treated solid material can be transformed into valuable resources based on its properties. Hard rock cuttings can be crushed and used as road base materials, concrete aggregate, or backfill; mud cakes rich in specific minerals can be used as raw materials for brick and cement production. This not only significantly reduces waste emissions and landfill space but also conserves natural sand and gravel resources, lowers engineering costs, and creates a green cycle.

This innovative practice shifts drilling operations from the traditional linear "mining-abandonment" model to a closed-loop model of "reduction, regeneration, and recycling." It requires planning waste disposal pathways and selecting appropriate processes and equipment during the design phase. Successful implementation not only fulfills environmental responsibilities but also creates economic value through resource transformation, representing an inevitable direction for promoting sustainable development in the engineering construction field.