Process for conditioning material for disposal
AssigneesExxon Chemical Patents Inc., Rio Linda Chemical Co., Inc.
InventorsJohn Y. Mason, Randall J. Block, Randall K. Tyler, John D. Milliken
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Petroleum production, refining, and mining disposable deposits and sediments are treated with an oxidizing agent such as chlorine dioxide and/or particle separation to reduce the mass of disposable materials. The invention has particular application in treating deposits and sediments which contain naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM).
Claims31
A method for separation and disposal of solids produced as a result of mining and oil field operations containing therein radioactive material and non-radioactive material comprising the steps of (a) deaglomerating the solids;
- (b) oxidizing the solids with an oxidizing agent;
- (c) separating the solids to form solids with non-radioactive material and solids with radioactive material;
- and (d) introducing the solids with radioactive material into a disposal site.
A method for separation and disposal of solids produced as a result of processing, containing therein naturally occurring radioactive solids and non-radioactive material, and further containing therein a hydrocarbon content, comprising the steps of (a) oxidizing the solids with an oxidizing agent, (b) extracting the hydrocarbons from the solids with a solvent, (c) separating the solids larger than about 150 microns to form large solids with non-radioactive material and small solids with radioactive solids, and (d) introducing the solids into a disposal site.
A method for the separation and disposal of solids produced as a result of processing, containing therein naturally occurring radioactive solids and non-radioactive materials, and further containing therein oxidizable material such as sulfides, mercaptans, cyanides and the like, the method comprising the steps of (a) oxidizing the solids with an oxidizing agent, (b) extracting solids with an agent selected from an acid and a base, (c) separating the solids into two particle size groups wherein the large particle size group contains substantially no radioactive material and the small particle size group contains substantially all of the radioactive material, and (d) introducing the solids with radioactive material into a disposal site.
In the process for the separation and disposal of solids containing therein radioactive material and non-radioactive material, wherein the improvement comprises the step of oxidizing the solids with an oxidizing agent such that a portion of the non-radioactive materials are more readily separated from the radioactive material, separating a portion of the non-radioactive solids from the radioactive solids by passing the solids through a fine screen between 100 and 270 mesh and being sized so that the solids passing the screen contain substantially all of the radioactive material, and disposing of at least a portion of the solids which pass the fine screen.
A method of treating sediments of petroleum storage facilities or vessels, said sediments containing radioactive particles and non-radioactive particles said method comprising:
- (a) forming a slurry of the sediments in a liquid;
- (b) agitating the slurry to de-agglomerate the particles in the sediment and render at least a substantial portion thereof free flowing in the liquid;
- (c) separating the particles larger than a predetermined particle size wherein substantially all of the radioactive particles are smaller than the predetermined particle size;
- and
- (d) disposing of the particles smaller than the predetermined particle size.
A method of treating particulate bottom sediments of a petroleum storage facility or vessel, said sediments including oxidizable materials that tend to agglomerate the sediments, said method comprising:
- (a) forming a slurry of the bottom sediments in a liquid;
- (b) contacting the sediments with an oxidizing agent comprising a chlorine containing compound while agitating the slurry to de-agglomerate the sediments and render the particles free flowing in the liquid;
- and
- (c) disposing of the particulate sediments.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.