Apparatus for recycling of oil based drilling fluid contaminated with water and water contaminated with oil based drilling fluid

A method of environmentally remediating a water component of an invert emulsion wellbore fluid, wherein the water component is at least partially emulsified with an oleaginous component, the method comprising:

• feeding the invert emulsion wellbore fluid and an emulsion breaker into an emulsion breaking tank of an apparatus for recycling wellbore fluid, wherein the apparatus for recycling wellbore fluid comprises:
• the emulsion breaking tank, which comprises an agitator, a means for the addition of the emulsion breaker, a means for the addition of the wellbore fluid, and a means for removing at least a portion of a demulsified water;
• a water treatment tank, which comprises an agitator, a means for adding the at least portion of demulsified water, a means for adding flocculation materials for producing a treatment water and a treatment sludge, a means for removing the treatment water, wherein the emulsion breaking tank is in fluid connection with the water treatment tank;
• and
• hydrocarbon filters for filter the treatment water, wherein the water treatment tank is in fluid connection with the hydrocarbon filters;
• mixing the invert emulsion wellbore fluid with the emulsion breaker in the emulsion breaking tank, wherein the emulsion breaker is a mixture of a non-ionic surfactant and an anionic surfactant;
• separating the water component of the invert emulsion wellbore fluid from the oleaginous component of the invert emulsion wellbore fluid;
• mixing the water component in the water treatment tank with the flocculation materials to produce a treatment sludge and a treatment water;
• skimming the treatment water from the water treatment tank;
• passing the treatment water through the hydrocarbon filters;
• and
• discharging the treatment water.

The method of claim 1, wherein the anionic surfactant is selected from the group consisting of:

• an alkyl sulfate with the formula:
• R1—O—SO3X
• where R1 is a linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated C1-22 alkyl radical and X is an alkali or ammonim ion;
• and
• an alkyl sulfonate with the formula:
• R2—O—SO3X or R3—SO3Y
• where R2 is a C1-18 alkyl radical, R3 is a linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated C1-30 alkyl radical, and Y is an alkali or ammonium ion;
• and mixtures thereof.

The method of claim 3, wherein the non-ionic surfactant is selected from the group consisting of:

• non-ionic surfactants with the formula:
• R4—O-(EO)nH
• where R4 is a linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated C1-22 alkyl radical, n is a number from 1 to 5, and EO is an ethylene oxide radical, propylene oxide radical, or butylene oxide radical or mixture thereof;
• and
• R4—O-(EO)mR5
• where R4 is a linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated C1-22 alkyl radical, R5 is a linear or branched alkyl radical, saturated or unsaturated C1-22 alkyl radical, EO is an ethylene oxide radical, propylene oxide radical, or butylene oxide radical or mixture thereof, and m is a number from 1 to 50, and mixtures thereof.

The method of claim 11, wherein the anionic surfactant is selected from the group consisting of:

• an alkyl sulfate with the formula:
• R1—O—SO3X
• where R1 is a linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated C1-22 alkyl radical and X is an alkali or ammonim ion;
• an alkyl sulfonate with the formula:
• R2—O—SO3X or R3—SO3Y
• where R2 is a C1-18 alkyl radical, R3 is a linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated C1-30 alkyl radical, and Y is an alkali or ammonium ion;
• and mixtures thereof.

The method of claim 13, wherein the non-ionic surfactant is selected from the group consisting of:

• non-ionic surfactants with the formula:
• R4—O-(EO)nH
• where R4 is a linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated C1-22 alkyl radical, n is a number from 1 to 5, and EO is an ethylene oxide radical, propylene oxide radical, or butylene oxide radical or mixture thereof;
• and
• R4—O-(EO)mR5
• where R4 is a linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated C1-22 alkyl radical, R5 is a linear or branched alkyl radical, saturated or unsaturated C1-22 alkyl radical, EO is an ethylene oxide radical, propylene oxide radical, or butylene oxide radical or mixture thereof, and m is a number from 1 to 50, and mixtures thereof.

An emulsion breaker for breaking invert emulsions, wherein the emulsion breaker is a mixture of a non-ionic surfactant and an anionic surfactant,

• wherein the non-ionic surfactant is selected from the group consisting of:
• non-ionic surfactants with the formula:
• R4—O-(EO)nH
• where R4 is a linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated C1-22 alkyl radical, n is a number from 1 to 5, and EO is an ethylene oxide radical, propylene oxide radical, or butylene oxide radical or mixture thereof;
• and
• R4—O-(EO)mR5
• where R4 is a linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated C1-22 alkyl radical, R5 is a linear or branched alkyl radical, saturated or unsaturated C1-22 alkyl radical, EO is an ethylene oxide radical, propylene oxide radical, or butylene oxide radical or mixture thereof, and m is a number from 1 to 50, and mixtures thereof;
• and
• wherein the anionic surfactant is selected from the group consisting of:
• an alkyl sulfate with the formula:
• R1—O—SO3X
• where R1 is a linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated C1-22 alkyl radical and X is an alkali or ammonim ion;
• and
• an alkyl sulfonate with the formula:
• R2—O—SO3X or R3—SO3Y
• where R2 is a C1-18 alkyl radical, R3 is a linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated C1-30 alkyl radical, and Y is an alkali or ammonium ion;
• and mixtures thereof.