The more common oilfield sludge treatment processes are: 1, Incineration method ;2, Biological method ;3,Solvent extraction method; 4, Thermal desorption method. In the comparison of the four sludge treatment processes, each has its advantages and disadvantages, which are selected according to the different requirements and different working conditions of the oilfield project.

Oilfield sludge refers to the sludge produced in the process of oil extraction, transportation, and refining, and contains oily crude oil or certain components in crude oil. Its categories are mainly divided into: ground sludge, clear tank sludge, flotation scum and so on. The sludge contains a lot of toxic substances, benzene series, phenols, anthracene and other odorous and toxic components.

Comparison of 4 kinds of oilfield sludge treatment processes:

1) Oilfield sludge sludge treatment process-incineration method: the sludge is first prepared and dehydrated, and the concentrated sludge is dehydrated and dried by the equipment, and then the sludge cake is sent to the incinerator for incineration. The main oil content of the burned mud cake is 5%-10%, and the temperature is generally controlled at 800-1000℃. The advantages of the sludge incineration method are the fast processing speed; the high degree of reduction; and the more thorough treatment of harmful substances in the sludge. The disadvantages of the sludge incineration method include the loss of all the beneficial substances contained; the high cost and high energy consumption; and the slight root of secondary pollution.

2) Oilfield sludge treatment process-biological method: three separation treatments are carried out on the sludge with low oil content, and some beneficial resources are recovered through microbial degradation treatment, thereby reducing the oil content of the sludge. The advantages of the sludge biological treatment method are that it is energy-saving and environmentally friendly, and the treatment cost is low. The disadvantage is that it occupies a large area and the processing cycle is longer.

3) Thermal desorption method of oilfield sludge treatment process: thermal desorption sludge treatment method is a new high temperature treatment method. Under high temperature and anaerobic conditions, the sludge heats up to a certain degree to desorb hydrocarbons and organic matter. This method is suitable for sludge with oil content greater than 30%. The advantages of thermal desorption sludge treatment method are large-scale treatment; high economic benefits; and environmental protection. Its disadvantages mainly lie in complicated operation and high technical requirements.

4) Oilfield sludge treatment process-extraction method:

This method uses organic solvents to extract the oil from the oil sludge to completely separate the oil, water and mud. The advantage of the sludge extraction method is that most of the petroleum substances can be recycled; the oil removal rate is high, and the oil removal rate can reach more than 90%. The shortcomings of the extraction method are mainly reflected in the need for more processing equipment; too many processing procedures; more complicated processing techniques; and high input costs.

There are many methods for the treatment of sludge in oil fields. The above 4 are the most popular sludge treatment processes in oil fields.