It is obvious, from the preceding discussion, that drilling waste contains a large amount of base fluid, whether that fluid is diesel oil, mineral oil, oolefin, ester, or water. A more detailed discussion about the nature or characteristics of the waste should consider the place of disposal. In a broad sense, this can be accomplished by considering that all waste must be disposed in the water, on land, or in the air. For example, the characteristics of drilling waste when discharged offshore (disposal in
water) will be viewed from the potential effects between the waste and water. These are effects to the seabed, to the water column itself, and to the air/water interface at the surface. In this scenario, diesel oil is an obvious contaminant. Diesel oil creates a sheen on the water surface, disperses in the water column, and creates a toxic effect in cuttings piles on the seabed. For this reason, diesel oil-based drilling fluids and the cuttings generated while using them are not discharged into the sea.
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