Evaluation of offshore drilling cuttings management technologies using multicriteria decision-making

Thanyamanta, Worakanok (2003) Evaluation of offshore drilling cuttings management technologies using multicriteria decision-making. Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

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Abstract

This thesis presents an evaluation of drilling cuttings management technologies. A deterministic multicriteria decision-making approach was applied to help assess eight drilling cuttings management alternatives based on twenty five criteria. The eight evaluated technologies included a vertical centrifuge, horizontal centrifuge, thermal desorption, incineration, grinding, stabilization/sodification, bioreactor, and re-injection. The criteria included one threshold criterion of conformity with regulations and four categories of decision-making criteria: technical feasibility, rig compatibility, environmental impacts, and costs. The alternatives evaluated include existing technologies that are currently used offshore and those used onshore but with potential for offshore applications. The criteria were assigned weights corresponding to their importance. The total weights for each of the major aspects, technical, environmental, and cost, were approximately equal. The eight options were scored under each corresponding criterion according to the technologies' information obtained from various sources such as journal papers, personal communication with industry personnel, and questionnaires. To score the options, quantitative and qualitative scoring schemes were used. Quantitative data were used to qualitatively measure the option. The overall values of each option were then calculated using the Additive Value Model. Uncertainty analysis was also conducted to reflect uncertainty associated with the final results. -- From the evaluation, the three optimum drilling cuttings management technologies are the vertical centrifuge, horizontal centrifuge, and re-injection. In the present study, the fourth-ranked bioreactor technology is considered the most promising onshore technology for offshore applications. However, due to lack of availability of data for bioreactor, this option is associated with larger uncertainties compared with the three optimum options. Sensitivity analysis, where weight distribution of criteria was varied, was also conducted. The three optimum options remained as the best scored options regardless of the changes in criteria weights. In addition, the dominating criteria in this evaluation were determined to be costs, energy consumption, treatment capacity, treatment efficiency, size, and weight. These are considered the most influential properties in selecting a management technology to be used offshore. The least significant criteria included the associated solid wastes, ease of repair and maintenance, impacts on other operations, and chemical requirement of the technology. Further, this study also reviewed some innovative technologies including microemulsion, supercritical extraction, and silica microencapsulation in terms of their general process, status of development, and potential for offshore applications.

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