An effective treatment method for shale gas drilling cuttings solidified body

The exploration and production of shale gas technology provides a way for utilization of clean fuels. However, during the exploration process of shale gas, enormous amount of drilling cutting was generated and had to be solidified and landfilled. So the accumulation of shale gas drilling cutting solidified body (SGDS)causes severe land resource misuse and environmental complications. This study focuses on the utilization of SGDS as a raw material for the production of cement clinker, and the phase composition, microstructure, and environmental performance of the cement clinker was investigated by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), scanning electronic microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectrum analysis (EDX), and soaking test, respectively. The results show that the cement clinker obtained mainly constitutes of typical Portland cement mineral (C₃S, C₂S, C₃A, and C₄AF). The leaching test indicated that the concentration of heavy metal ions in leachate is within the limits allowed by the state "Technical specification for co-processing of solid wastes in cement kiln" (GB 30760-2014). This study therefore provides a benchmark on environmental effects resulting from drilling cuttings and utilization of resources.