Method and apparatus for the injection disposal of solid and liquid waste materials from the drilling and production of oil and gas wells

摘要

Methods and apparatus for the disposal of solid particulate material in subterranean formations are disclosed. The invention is not limited to the disposal of oil field waste and therefore provides means and methods for the disposal of virtually any type of waste slurry stream. A slurry is formed at the surface of the earth by mixing the solid waste in particulate form with liquid and viscosifier thereby forming a slurry. A borehole is drilled into a selected injection formation and the slurry is pumped from the surface through the borehole and into the injection formation. Some surface pretreating of the slurry may be required including sizing of the particulate solids, adding weighting material, removing excessive amounts of oil and grease and diluting to reduce the level of radioactivity. The injection formation is preferably dipping in angle with respect to the horizontal and highly fractured. The borehole is hydraulically isolated from intervening earth strata between the surface of the earth and the injection formation.