Drill cuttings with a drying agent

A method of preparing a stabilized material, the method comprising:

• combining ingredients consisting of a drying agent and a quantity of drill cuttings to form a first combination, the quantity of drill cuttings having a moisture content between about 1% and about 45% by weight prior to combining, the drying agent in the first combination being in a first amount by weight of the drill cuttings, the drying agent causing the first combination to achieve a first state substantially without pozzolanic reaction such that the moisture content of the first combination is less than the moisture content of the drill cuttings prior to combining;
• causing the first combination to achieve a friable second state, the friable second state having moisture content that is a second amount by weight less than the moisture content of the drill cuttings prior to combining, the second amount having a greater absolute magnitude than the first amount;
• such that the causing the first combination to achieve the second state causes formation of the stabilized material that is friable,
• wherein causing the first combination to achieve the second state includes waiting.

A method of preparing a friable stabilized material, the method comprising:

• combining a drying agent and a quantity of drill cuttings to form a first combination, the quantity of drill cuttings having a moisture content between about 1% and about 45% by weight prior to combining, the drying agent in the first combination being in an amount between about 1% and to about 20% by weight of the drill cuttings, the drying agent causing the first combination to achieve a first state such that the moisture content of the first combination is less than the moisture content of the drill cuttings prior to combining;
• causing the first combination to achieve a friable second state, the friable second state having moisture content that is at least about 20% by weight less than the moisture content of the drill cuttings prior to combining;
• such that first combination that has achieved the friable second state is the stabilized material that is friable,
• wherein the drying agent has an alkaline pH,
• wherein causing the first combination to achieve the second state includes waiting;
• and
• causing the friable stabilized material to be spread out on a ground surface.

A method of preparing a stabilized material that is substantially friable, the method comprising:

• combining (i) a drying agent that does not include a pozzolan that would cause the stabilized material to be substantially non-friable and (ii) a quantity of drill cuttings that does not include the pozzolan that would cause the stabilized material to be substantially non-friable, to form a first combination that does not include the pozzolan that would cause the stabilized material to be substantially non-friable,
• the quantity of drill cuttings having a liquid content between about 1% and about 45% by at least one of weight and volume prior to combining,
• the drying agent in the first combination being in an amount greater than about 1% and less than a first upper percentage by at least one of weight and volume of the drill cuttings, the drying agent causing the first combination to achieve a first state such that the liquid content of the first combination is less than the liquid content of the drill cuttings prior to combining;
• causing the first combination to achieve a second state, the second state having liquid content that is at least the first upper percentage by at least one of weight and volume less than the liquid content of the drill cuttings prior to combining;
• such that the causing the first combination to achieve the second state causes formation of the stabilized material that is substantially friable,
• wherein the drying agent has an alkaline pH,
• wherein the drying agent includes calcium carbonate,
• wherein the drying agent includes less than 10% by weight crystalline silica,
• wherein causing the first combination to achieve the second state includes waiting following the combining of (i) the drying agent that does not include the pozzolan that would cause the stabilized material to be substantially non-friable and (ii) the quantity of drill cuttings that does not include the pozzolan that would cause the stabilized material to be substantially non-friable to form the first combination that does not include the pozzolan that would cause the stabilized material to be substantially non-friable, and
• wherein the first combination in the second state is the stabilized material that is substantially friable.