Patent ID: 6881349

Claim:
A method of recycling an invert emulsion based drilling fluid, wherein the invert emulsion based drilling fluid includes an oleaginous component and an aqueous component, the method comprising: the use of a mobile apparatus for recycling drilling mud or fluid, comprising: an emulsion breaking tank which comprises an agitator, means for the addition of an emulsion breaker, and means for the addition of drilling mud; a water treatment tank which comprises an agitator and means for adding flocculation materials; a filter press; and, an integrated filter package; mixing said invert emulsion drilling fluid with an emulsion breaker in said emulsion breaking tank, wherein said emulsion breaker is a mixture of a non-ionic surfactant and an anionic surfactant; separating the oleaginous component of the invert emulsion drilling fluid from the aqueous component of the invert emulsion drilling fluid; mixing said aqueous component in said water treatment tank with said flocculation materials to produce a treatment sludge and an aqueous component; dewatering said treatment sludge in said filter press; skimming the aqueous component from said water treatment tank; passing said aqueous component through said integrated filter package to produce hydrocarbon contamination.