TECHNOLOGY OF USE OF DRILLING WASTE WITH A HIGH CONTENT OF HYDROCARBONS IN ROAD CONSTRUCTION
Drilling waste contains a large number of chemical compounds hazardous to the environment and humans. Short-term and long-term disposal of this waste in the environment, especially near groundwater and surface water bodies, creates high environmental risks of the formation of technogenic impacts of various levels. Drilling wastes (drill cuttings) with a high content of hydrocarbons and oil are particularly dangerous, as they form a man-made impact that creates an environment unsuitable for most living organisms. The introduction of technology without pit drilling by oil companies requires the development of new technologies for the disposal of drill cuttings. Disposal technologies should prevent long-term disposal of drill cuttings in oil production areas and use the maximum amount of drill cuttings generated without generating secondary waste. The article proposes to use drilling waste, with a high content of hydrocarbons and oil, in the technology of obtaining organo-mineral mixtures used in road construction. It has been shown that, in terms of their physical and mechanical characteristics, drill cuttings meet the requirements for fine mineral aggregates used to produce asphalt concrete used for the construction of roads. The presence of oil and hydrocarbons in the composition of drill cuttings is considered as a positive fact that can create an additional synergistic effect in the technological process of producing an asphalt concrete mixture. Oil and hydrocarbons contained in drilling waste are proposed to be considered as a valuable raw material component that has a physical and chemical similarity with bitumen, which is used to create a monolithic structure of asphalt concrete. The main part of drill cuttings consists of finely dispersed rock, which can also be used as fine mineral filler in the composition of the asphalt concrete mixture. The article shows that the physical and mechanical properties of asphalt concrete samples meet the requirements of regulatory documents for asphalt concrete mix. The environmental assessment of the resulting asphalt concrete mixture showed that it does not adversely affect the test objects.