Drill cuttings treatment system

1. A process for phase separation of invert mud drill cuttings containing a mixture of a solids-oil matrix and a water fraction, the process comprising the steps of:

supplying the invert mud drill cuttings to a mixing chamber of a jet pump;

agitating the invert mud drill cuttings within the mixing chamber by supplying water as a motive fluid to the mixing chamber of the jet pump to effect a matrix transformation of the solids-oil matrix into an oil and water fraction and a solids fraction, wherein the jet pump operates at a Reynolds number above 250,000;

supplying the invert mud drill cuttings containing the transformed solids-oil matrix to a separator; and

separating the oil and water fraction from the solids fraction in the separator.

2. The process of claim 1 in which separating the oil and water fraction from the solids fraction comprises adjusting the water content of the invert mud drill cuttings.

3. The process of claim 2 in which adjusting the water content of the invert mud drill cuttings comprises:

settling the invert mud drill cuttings in a settling tank to settle the transformed solids-oil matrix to the bottom of the settling tank;

pumping the transformed solids-oil matrix from the settling tank with a metered amount of water; and

separating the oil and water fraction from the solids fraction in a separating device.

4. The process of claim 3 in which the separating device is a centrifuge.

5. The process of claim 1 in which the water used to power the jet pump is supplied to the jet pump at a temperature from about 50C to 100C.

6. The process of claim 1 in which the invert mud drill cuttings are supplied from a hopper, wherein the hopper is free of phase separation devices.