Platov South-Russian State Polytechnic University (NPI), Novocherkassk, Russia

Yatsenko E. A., Professor, Doctor of Engineering Sciences, e_yatsenko@mail.ru
Izvarina D. N., Junior Researcher, Candidate of Engineering Sciences
Izvarin A. I., Research Engineer
Smoliy V. A., Senior Researcher, Candidate of Engineering Sciences

The oil and gas industry is a key economic sector in Russia. Considerable oil reserves of the country occur in its Arctic Zone. Within the internationally defined borders of the Russian Arctic Zone and Arctic Shelf, 282 oil fields are discovered, including 26 oil fields on the shelf and in the coastal transition zone. Major proven reserves occur in the Yamalo-Nenets and Nenets Autonomous Areas within the Arctic Zone of Russia. Well drilling produces much drilling mud, drill fluID and drilling wastewater. Drilling mud represents the bulk of the industry waste which pollutes the environment. The ecological safety of the Russian Arctic is a top-priority problem. As a result of drilling mud impact, the natural environment and underground water alter greatly. This article analyzes methods and means of drilling waste treatment and conversion to different materials. The scope of the analysis encompasses thermal treatment, bioconversion, the use of drilling mud as a natural fine aggregate to replace limestone and clay in the cement industry, as well as manufacturing of constructional materials and propping agents. It seems to be a
promising trend to create mobile facilities in the Russian Arctic for the in-situ production of constructional materials from drilling waste.
The study was supported by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation under the state contract within the topic “Technology Fundamentals of Recycling of Oil Industry Waste in the Arctic Zone of Russia with Production of Effective Constructional Materials and Propping Agents, FENN-2025-0001, Head—E. A. Yatsenko.

1. Kirsanova N., Nevskaya M., Raikhlin S. Sustainable development of mining regions in the Arctic Zone of the Russian Federation. Sustainability. 2024. Vol. 16, Iss. 5. ID 2060.
2. Sukhankin S., Bouffard T., Lackenbauer P. W. Strategy, competition, and legitimization: Development of the Arctic Zone of the Russian Federation. Arctic Yearbook. 2021. Vol. 2021. pp. 207–233.
3. Skufin P., Samarina V., Skufina T., Tereshina M., Tambovceva T. To the question about the origins of oil and oil exploration of the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation. International Journal of Global Energy Issues. 2021. Vol. 43, No. 2/3. pp. 99–113.
4. Vopilovskiy S. S. Foreign economic partners of Russia in the Arctic Zone. Arctic and North. 2022. No. 46. DOI: 10.37482/issn2221-2698.2022.46.33
5. Ilinova A. A., Dmitrieva D. M. Sustainable development of the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation: Ecological aspect. Biosciences Biotechnology Research Asia. 2016. Vol. 13, No. 4. DOI: 10.13005/bbra/2370
6. Vorontsova E. V., Vorontsov A. L. General assessment of the environmental status and environmental risks in the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation. E3S Web of Conferences. 2020. Vol. 161. ID 01018.
7. Edelgeriev R. S. K., Romanovskaya A. A. New approaches to the adaptation to climate change: The Arctic zone of Russia. Russian Meteorology Hydrology. 2020. Vol. 45. pp. 305–316.
8. Danilov-Danilyan V. I., Klyuev N. N., Kotlyakov V. M. Russia in the global natural and ecological space. Regional Research of Russia. 2023. Vol. 13. pp. 34–57.
9. Leontieva L. S., Makarova E. B. Arctic projects in the Russian oil and gas industry: Implementation features under the current economic environment. The Handbook of the Arctic. A Broad and Comprehensive Overview. 2022. pp. 367–377.
10. Tabatabaei M., Kazemzadeh F., Sabah M., Wood D. A. Sustainability in natural gas reservoir drilling: A review on environmentally and economically friendly fluids and optimal waste management. Sustainable Natural Gas Reservoir and Production Engineering. 2022. pp. 269–304.
11. Veil J. A. Drilling waste management: Past, present, and future. SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition. 2002. DOI: 10.2118/77388-MS
12. Stilwell C. T. Area waste-management plans for drilling and production operations. Journal of Petroleum Technology. 1991. Vol. 43, No. 1. pp. 67–71.
13. Hu Y., Mu S., Zhang J., Li Q. Regional distribution, properties, treatment technologies, and resource utilization of oil-based drilling cuttings: A review. Chemosphere. 2022. Vol. 308, P. 1. ID 136145.
14. Zhou Qi, Yao Guangyuan, Bao Weilei, Sun Yingjie, Huang Qifei. Current utilization, disposal and environmental management of drilling cuttings from oil and gas field exploitation. Journal of Environmental Engineering Technology. 2023. Vol. 13, No. 2. pp. 785–792.

15. Costa L. C., Carvalho C. F., Soares A. S. F. et al. Physical and chemical characterization of drill cuttings: A review. Marine Pollution Bulletin. 2023. Vol. 194, P. A. ID 115342.
16. Paulsen J. E., Omland T. H., Igeltjørn H., Aas N., Solvang S.A. Drill cuttings disposal, balancing zero discharge and use of best available technique. SPE/IADC Middle East Drilling Technology Conference and Exhibition. 2003. DOI: 10.2118/85296-MS
17. Deming X., Chaoqiang W. Physical characteristics and environmental risks assessment of oil-based drilling cuttings residues used for subgrade materials. Journal of Cleaner Production. 2021. Vol. 323. ID 129152.
18. Gaurina-Međimurec N., Pašić B., Mijić P., Medved I. Deep underground injection of waste from drilling activities – An overview. Minerals. 2020. Vol. 10, Iss. 4. ID 303.
19. de Almeida P. C., Araújo O. de Q. F., de Medeiros J. L. Managing offshore drill cuttings waste for improved sustainability. Journal of Cleaner Production. 2017. Vol. 165. pp. 143–156.
20. Antia M., Ezejiofor A. N., Obasi C. N., Orisakwe O. E. Environmental and public health effects of spent drilling fluid: an updated systematic review. Journal of Hazardous Materials Advances. 2022. Vol. 7. ID 100120.
21. Ismail A. R., Alias A. H., Sulaiman W. R. W., Jaafar M. Z., Ismail I. Drilling fluID waste management in drilling for oil and gas wells. Chemical Engineering Transactions. 2017. Vol. 56. pp. 1351–1356.
22. Adesina F., Anthony A., Gbadegesin A., Eseoghene O., Oyakhire A. Environmental impact evaluation of a safe drilling mud. SPE middle east health, safety, security, and environment conference and exhibition. 2012. DOI: 10.2118/152865-MS
23. Li Z., Zhou Y., Meng X., Wang S. Harmless and efficient treatment of oily drilling cuttings. Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering. 2021. Vol. 202. ID 108542.
24. Zhang L., Jin Y., Ma L. et al. Research on the treatment and secondary fluID mixing technology for oil-containing drilling wastewater in gas fields. Desalination and Water Treatment. 2024. Vol. 320. ID 100855.
25. Wang Y., Yang M., Zhang J., Zhang Y., Gao M. Improvement of biodegradability of oil field drilling wastewater using ozone. Ozone: Science & Engineering. 2004. Vol. 26, Iss. 3. pp. 309–315.
26. Hickenbottom K. L., Hancock N. T., Hutchings N. R. et al. Forward osmosis treatment of drilling mud and fracturing wastewater from oil and gas operations. Desalination. 2013. Vol. 312. pp. 60–66.
27. Romanyuk V. S., Tkachenko V. D., Klimova L. V., Yatsenko E. A., Ryabova A. V. Use of coal and oil mining waste in the production of effective silicate materials. Advances in Ecology and Environmental Engineering. 2024. pp. 421–431. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-64423-8_37
28. Daneshfar M. A., Ardjmand M. A new approach in the optimal site selection of landfills for drilling cuttings from petroleum and gas fields. Chemosphere. 2021. Vol. 270. ID 129402.
29. Ball A. S., Stewart R. J., Schliephake K. A review of the current options for the treatment and safe disposal of drill cuttings. Waste Management & Research. 2012. Vol. 30, Iss. 5. pp. 457–473.
30. Hussain I., Clapper D., Doostdar N. Safe, green approach in drill cuttings waste management. Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference. 2017. DOI: 10.2118/188738-MS
31. Nasir U., Saeed M. A., Yousif S. M. Environmental impact assessment of heavy metals in surface disposed drilling waste. Journal of Geoscience and Environment Protection. 2021. Vol. 9, No. 9. pp. 227–238.
32. Pereira L. B., Sad C. M. S., Castro E. V. R., Filgueiras P. R., Lacerda Jr. V. Environmental impacts related to drilling fluID waste and treatment methods: A critical review. Fuel. 2022. Vol. 310, P. B. ID 122301.
33. Cherepovitsyn A., Lebedev A. Drill cuttings disposal efficiency in offshore oil drilling. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering. 2023. Vol. 11, Iss. 2. ID 317.
34. Lebedev A., Cherepovitsyn A. Waste management during the production drilling stage in the oil and gas sector: a feasibility study. Resources. 2024. Vol. 13, Iss. 2. ID 26.
35. Kazamias G., Zorpas A. A. Drill cuttings waste management from oil & gas exploitation industries through end-of-waste criteria in the framework of circular economy strategy. Journal of Cleaner Production. 2021. Vol. 322. ID 129098.
36. Ndeda R., Sebusang S. E. M., Marumo R., Ogur E. O. Review of thermal surface drilling technologies. Proceedings of the Sustainable Research and Innovation Conference. 2022. pp. 61–69.
38. Kovaleva E. I., Guchok M. V., Terekhova V. A., Demin V. V., Trofimov S. Y. Drill cuttings in the environment: possible ways to improve their properties. Journal of Soils and Sediments. 2021. Vol. 21. pp. 1974–1988.
39. Ikram R., Jan M. B., Sidek A., Kenanakis G. Utilization of eco-friendly waste generated nanomaterials in water-based drilling fluids; state of the art review. Materials. 2021. Vol. 14, Iss. 15. ID 4171.
40. Asim N., Badiei M., Torkashvand M. et al. Wastes from the petroleum industries as sustainable resource materials in construction sectors: Opportunities, limitations, and directions. Journal of Cleaner Production. 2021. Vol. 284. ID 125459.
41. Bernardo G., Marroccoli M., Nobili M., Telesca A., Valenti G. L. The use of oil well-derived drilling waste and electric arc furnace slag as alternative raw materials in clinker production. Resources, Conservation and Recycling. 2007. Vol. 52, Iss. 1. pp. 95–102.
42. Chen T.-L., Lin S., Lin Z.-S. An innovative utilization of drilling wastes as building materials. E&P Environmental and Safety Conference. 2007. DOI: 10.2118/106913-MS
43. Tuncan A., Tuncan M., Koyuncu H. Use of petroleum-contaminated drilling wastes as sub-base material for road construction. Waste Management and Research. 2000. Vol. 18, Iss. 5. pp. 489–505.
44. Wasiuddin N. M., Ali N., Islam M. R. Use of offshore drilling waste in hot mix asphalt (HMA) concrete as aggregate replacement. Engineering Technology Conference on Energy. 2002. pp. 451–458. DOI: 10.1115/ETCE2002/EE-29168
45. Danso D. K., Negash B. M., Ahmed T. Y., Yekeen N., Ganat T. A. O. Recent advances in multifunctional proppant technology and increased well output with micro and nano proppants. Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering. 2021. Vol. 196. ID 108026.
46. Alba A., Fragachan F., Ovalle A., Shokanov T. Environmentally safe waste disposal: The integration of cuttings collection, transport, and reinjection. SPE International Oil Conference and Exhibition. Mexico, 2007. DOI: 10.2118/108912-MS
47. Meng Q., Li K., Zhang S., Ni W., Peng Q. Preparation and sintering mechanism of ceramic proppants with oil-based drill cuttings pyrolysis residues. Ceramics International. 2025. Vol. 51, Iss. 5. pp. 6183–6194.
48. Yang Y., Li H., Lei Z. et al. Preparation and characterization of highperformance ceramic proppant from recycling utilization of oil-based drilling cuttings pyrolysis residues. Science Report. 2024. Vol. 14, No. 1. ID 2345.
49. Dhir R. K., Csetenyi L. J., Dyer T. D., Smith G. W. Cleaned oil-drill cuttings for use as filler in bituminous mixtures. Construction and Building Materials. 2010. Vol. 24, Iss. 3. pp. 322–325.
50. Gómez J., Santos N., Martinez R. Construction of pavers from drilling cuttings as an alternative for environmental management of waste. The 21th International Conference on Renewable Energies and Power Quality (ICREPQ’23). 2023. Vol. 21. pp. 545–550.