Patent ID: 7520342
Filing Date: 2009-04-21
Classification: E21B

Abstract:
1. A process for the recovery of drilling fluid additives from a mixture of materials, wherein the mixture comprises drilling fluids, drilled solids, and one or more drilling fluid additives from a mud system, the process comprising: separating at least a portion of the drilled solids from the mixture to form a first effluent and a drilled solids fraction; decreasing a viscosity of the first effluent; separating at least a portion of the one or more drilling fluid additives from the first effluent to form a second effluent and one or more recovered additives fractions; recycling at least a portion of the one or more recovered additives fractions to the mud system; wherein the one or more drilling fluid additives have a specific gravity of at least 1.4; and wherein the one or more drilling fluid additives have an average particle size of at least 2 microns.