Waste Reduction: A Greener Alternative For Treating Drilling Muds

Since 1947, McCutcheon Enterprises, Inc. (MEI) has been delivering complete waste management solutions to a diversified list

of clients in the energy, industrial and municipal sectors. In

order to keep pace with the ever changing regulations in the

waste industry, MEI has remained steadfastly dedicated to providing our clients with solutions that live up to MEI’s motto:

“protecting our environment for tomorrow’s generations.” One

such effort has been the expansion of our cutting-edge municipal and residual waste treatment facility located at our headquarters in Apollo, PA. 

MEI’s waste treatment facility provides a variety of waste treatment solutions for our clients in the energy sector. For instance,

our reuse area focuses on the processing of production waters

for reuse on drilling sites. Our solidification area can handle all

types of drilling muds, cuttings, etc. In fact, it is this area where

we are making our waste treatment solutions greener. 

Currently, when processing drilling muds/cuttings, or other

solid wastes, the wastes are dumped into one of our solidification pits, mixed with a solidifying agent and hauled off to

the landfill for disposal. This process creates more volume to

our waste with the addition of the solidifying agent. More

waste equals more expense for us and for our clients, as well

as more waste buried in a landfill.

In our quest to be the beacon of what it means to be protecting our environment for tomorrow’s generations, we knew

there was a greener way to process this waste stream. That is

why we are expanding our facility and, beginning in April 2013,

will be using the process of waste reduction to treat these

waste streams.

What is waste reduction and how does it make the process

greener? It is quite simple really-by separating the liquids from

the solids and, in turn, sending a lesser volume of waste to

landfills for disposal. The truck will offload the waste into our

facility where it will pass through a process that separates the

liquids from the solids and produces a smaller volume of solid

waste to be disposed of at the landfill.

What happens to the liquid waste from drilling muds/cuttings?

It will be sent to the reuse area of our facility. So not only does

the environment win once, with less waste being sent to the

landfill, but twice by treating the water for reuse. “Waste reduction is a win, win, win scenario for MEI, our clients, and the

environment,” said Tim Dobrosky, Facility Manager at MEI. “The

environment wins twice with less waste to the landfill and the

liquids processed for reuse,” Dobrosky continued. “Our clients

win twice by using a treatment process that doubly protects the

environment, and in bringing the waste to our facility from sites

within a 100 plus mile radius, are saving money when compared

to backyard on-site services,” Dobrosky concluded.

“MEI is excited to launch this new form of treatment for all of

our clients,” said Calvin McCutcheon, president of MEI. “Clients

from all industries will know they are protecting the environment by utilizing this new waste reduction process,” McCutcheon continued. “At MEI, that’s what we’re all

about-protecting our environment for tomorrow’s generations

by providing our award-winning complete waste management

solutions,” McCutcheon concluded.

Purchasing this equipment is an investment in our future and in

our environment. Tomorrow’s generations will benefit from

treatment solutions like this which reduce the amount of waste

in landfills and protect a vital natural resource by enabling our

clients to reuse it. Our facility is capable of treating up to 6,000

barrels per day of production waters and liquid wastes. The expansion of our treatment facility will triple our solidification mix

pit capacity allowing us to process a higher volume of waste in

a shorter amount of time.

Hard to handle and exempted waste streams are no problem for

MEI’s treatment facility. We specialize in working with clients to

treat waste streams that others cannot. Our capabilities for

waste treatment are vast, and the experience of our staff is second to none. Non-hazardous, hard to handle and/or exempted

waste streams are another of our niches. MEI’s employees and

facilities are capable of handling any waste management need.

Just call us, our philosophy is simple, when you need us, we’ll

be there with our award-winning complete waste management

solutions. Our position as an industry leader is reinforced by

MEI being named the 2012 Drilling & Well Services Company of

the Year in the Northeastern United States by the Oil & Gas

Awards. We are honored to be recognized and will continue to

provide our award-winning complete waste management solutions whenever you need us. 

For more information on this subject you may contact

Chad McCutcheon at McCutcheon Enterprises at

Phone: 724-568-3623 ext. 137 or visit their website at

www.completewastemgmt.com