document

SPE Members

Abstract

In an effort to limit personnel exposure to oilfield chemicals and simultaneously reduce environmental waste, a bulk additive system was designed and installed for handling drilling mud products on a recent drilling project. Although some problems were initially encountered, problems were initially encountered, the system was modified to completely fulfill its objectives. Both occupational safety risks and environmental wastes were significantly reduced. Efforts are currently being made to improve the ease-of-use of this system for future drilling projects.

Introduction

Today more than ever before, personnel safety and environmental personnel safety and environmental acceptability have become high priorities in our drilling priorities in our drilling operations. Many advances have been made in these areas. Unfortunately, the technology of packaging and handling drilling mud has not changed in the last 35 years. Although bulk barite is available in most cases, drilling muds are typically built from chemicals that are contained in either 50-100 lb sacks or 5 gal buckets. These materials must be physically opened by rig personnel physically opened by rig personnel and dumped into the drilling mud. Exposure of personnel to injuries associated with handling of mud products poses a serious occupational products poses a serious occupational safety risk to all those involved. The latest figures available from OSHA indicate that there were 1492 serious injury cases in Louisiana Oil and Gas Operations. Of these, 42% were to the back and lower extremities, 3% were eye injuries, and 1% were chemical burns. Although no exact figures are available, experience suggests that a significant portion of these injuries are related to the physical handling of mud products. As evidence of this, one representative Gulf Coast contractor alone has reported seven injuries directly attributable to the handling of mud products in the last two years.

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