Continuous solids discharge

An oil and gas well drilling system, the system comprising:

• a thermal extraction unit, the thermal extraction unit configured to receive a feed of oil and gas well waste solids and to extract hydrocarbon and water vapor from the waste solids to form treated solids, wherein the treated solids are maintained at a first reduced pressure of less than atmospheric pressure;
• and
• a solids discharge assembly for disposing of the treated solids, the assembly including:
• a discharge eductor, the discharge eductor including:
• a solids inlet configured to receive the treated solids, and, to transfer the treated solids to a chamber of the discharge eductor,
• a fluid inlet configured to receive a motive fluid and transport the motive fluid through a tapered nozzle coupled to the fluid inlet, a tip of the tapered nozzle located in the chamber, and
• a discharge outlet configured to receive a discharge mixture of the treated solids and the motive fluid from the chamber, wherein the chamber is configured to have a second reduced pressure of less than atmospheric pressure when the motive fluid is streaming from the fluid inlet to the discharge outlet;
• and
• a solids valve located in a solids conduit coupled to the solids inlet of the discharge eductor, wherein the solids conduit is evacuated and the solids valve is configured to be:
• closed to prevent the transfer of the treated solids into the solids inlet and to prevent the flow of the motive fluid into the evacuated solids conduit when the chamber has a pressure equal to or greater than atmospheric pressure, and
• open to permit the transfer of the treated solids into the solids inlet when the chamber has the second reduced pressure.

A method for disposing of oil and gas well treated solids, the method comprising:

• receiving treated solids into a solids conduit coupled to a solids inlet of a discharge eductor;
• transferring the treated solids to a chamber of the discharge eductor;
• transporting a motive fluid to a fluid inlet of the discharge eductor and through a tapered nozzle of the discharge eductor coupled to the fluid inlet, a tip of the tapered nozzle located in the chamber;
• discharging a discharge mixture of the treated solids and the motive fluid from the chamber to a discharge outlet of the discharge eductor;
• and
• wherein the solids conduit is evacuated and a solids valve located in the solids conduit is configured to:
• close to prevent the transfer of the treated solids into the solids inlet and to prevent the flow of the motive fluid through the solids conduit when the chamber has a pressure equal to or greater than atmospheric pressure, and
• open to permit the transfer of the treated solids into the solids inlet when the chamber has the reduced pressure.