Reutilización de Ripios de perforación en base agua como material de construcción

Abstract

The growing petroleum activity in Ecuador has intensified the extraction of crude oil, generating substantial volumes of drill cuttings which, by their physicochemical characteristics, are not reincorporated in the process turning them into scrap. Given this, the objective was to determine the potential for reuse of water-based drill cuttings as a building material. This investigation obtained representative samples of cuttings that were disposed of in hazardous waste pits from January 2009 to August 2012 by the Public Company Petroecuador, operating in Shushufindi. The mechanical, physical, and chemical properties were analyzed in the laboratory for determining the material as a soil-cement alternative or for use in fabricating bricks. In both cases unconfined compressive strength and leaching was carried out and concluded that, for use as a soil-cement alternative there should be the addition of 10% cement with economic onsiderations. Brick design required no other raw materials and gave an average compressive strength of 22.6MPa. Leaching tests showed reduction in the concentration of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH), barium, chromium, cadmium and nickel, allowing for practical manufacturing of bricks in small production with an average compressive strength of 19MPa and 22% moisture absorption. These bricks would be useful for walls with low exposure to humidity.

Keywords

• Estabilización
• solidificación y reutilización