Thermtech Equipment for the Treatment of Oily Waste

Thermtech is the Norwegian technology company which set the global standard for the treatment of the drilling waste coming from oil-based and synthetic-based drilling fluids. The Thermtech Thermomechanical Cuttings Cleaner (TCC®) is able to recover all the base oil from the oil-based drilling waste, for re-use. Waste treatment with the TCC enables environmentally safe and commercially positive recovery for re-use of all the components of the waste (solids, water and base oil).

Treatment of oily waste from drilling, production and refinery activities

Thermtech is the technology owner of the patented TCC process used to treat the oily waste produced during drilling, production and refinery activities. The TCC converts kinetic energy to thermal energy by creating friction in the waste. The most important property of the TCC process is its ability to recover every component of the waste, with the same qualities of the original components. At the end of the treatment, the oil can be re-used and the clean solids can be used in different applications, land filled or discharged to sea. With all the elements recovered to be re-used with their chemical and physical characteristics unchanged, the TCC process has completely eliminated the concept of waste.

Recovering base oil from drilling waste

In the TCC the drilling waste is heated to a temperature high enough to evaporate the oil and the water from the waste. The heat is created in the waste itself by friction, meaning that the kinetic energy from the drive unit is transformed into thermal energy through the hammers beating into the waste. The oil and water flash evaporate in the mill and leave as vapours instantaneously; the solid particles drop out clean. The short retention time in the mill ensures that the recovered oil will have the same qualities of the original base oil. The re-use of this recovered base oil is not only environmentally friendly, but also commercially positive.

The reputation of the TCC process is so strong that many oil companies operating in areas of lax environmental regulation have in fact adopted this technology, not just for their own commercial advantage, but especially to reinforce their reputation and emphasise their green credentials.

Compact, mobile waste treatment unit

The design of the compact, mobile TCC unit is among Thermtech’s recent developments. With this solution, instead of transporting the waste to the location of the treatment unit, the mobile unit is transported to the waste. Aside from the obvious logistical savings that such a mobile unit can bring, its use can also make the whole process much safer by reducing waste movements, which are dangerous, unhealthy and environmentally negative.

This very compact unit can be transported on trailers, supply boats and cranes, and still offers the same technological advantages, capacities and parameters that have made the TCC process so successful.

As of December 2013, 45 TCC based units, designed and built by Thermtech and by its licence holders, can be found in operation across the globe, located on land, platforms and rigs both onshore and offshore.

Environmentally friendly industrial waste treatment

Using the same reliable, efficient and proven technology, Thermtech is presently bringing to the market new applications designed to handle different types of industrial waste.

Thermtech’s mission to create commercial benefits for its customers, results in keeping the environment clean and healthy.