Apparatus and method for a drill mud plant

A method for remediating drilling mud and cuttings that include a solids portion, the method comprising steps of:

• providing a remediation plant comprising:
• a vacuum distillation unit (VDU) that includes a vacuum-assisted distillation column and a condenser;
• and
• an oil-water separator;
• reducing a pressure within the distillation column to a reduced pressure that is less than atmospheric pressure;
• distilling the drilling mud and cuttings, including the solids portion, within the distillation column at the reduced pressure by raising a temperature of the drilling mud and cuttings to a temperature that is less than a cracking temperature of a drilling fluid that includes hydrocarbons having a chain length up to C24 and that does not include hydrocarbons having a chain length equal to or greater than C25 in the drilling mud and cuttings such that a liquids portion of the drilling mud and cuttings including hydrocarbons having a chain length up to C24 and not including hydrocarbons having a chain length equal to or greater than C25 forms a vapor;
• separating the vapor from the solids portion of the drilling mud and cuttings;
• in the condenser, condensing the separated vapor to form a condensed liquid;
• and
• using the oil-water separator, segregating the condensed liquid into a recovered drilling fluid that is physically and chemically equivalent to a virgin form of the drilling fluid and a water-containing portion.