Drill cuttings composite core manufacturing method and apparatus
The present invention comprises a drill cuttings composite core apparatus, system, and method that may utilize sieve shaker equipped with a solvent wash system to separate, clean, and size cuttings; a centrifugal mill equipped with a 12 tooth rotor and 1.0 mm ring sieve; a compactor mold that may be 1.5 inches in diameter and up to 6 inches long; dual piston compactor with independent air control valves; and a spacer on top of a bottom piston that may allow compacted core to be pushed up through top of mold for easy removal with no special tools or handling and so forth.
1. A method of creating a drill cuttings composite artificial core sample comprising the steps:
drilling a well;
collecting drill cuttings from said drilling;
utilizing a sieve shaker with a solvent wash system to separate said drill cuttings to a uniform size of said drill cuttings;
washing said uniform cuttings of said drill cuttings;
utilizing a sieving stack to separate coarser cutting from said uniform cuttings creating a composite;
utilizing a centrifugal mill to recombine said composite forming a composite core material;
drying said composite core material;
placing said composite core material in a mold having a top and bottom;
placing said mold in a piston compactor having a top piston for applying downward pressure on said composite core material and bottom piston for applying upward pressure to said composite core material; and
forming said drill cuttings composite artificial core sample by said applying downward pressure on said composite core material and said applying upward pressure to said composite core material.