Use of Oil Drill Cuttings as an Alternative Raw Material in Sandcrete Blocks

This research has investigated the use of waste oil drill cuttings treated by thermal desorption in sandcrete, a major construction material used throughout Nigeria and much of West Africa. Sandcrete samples were prepared using a sand to cement ratio of 6:1. The results show that replacing up to 50 wt% of sand by treated oil drill cuttings produced sandcrete with reduced water absorption and reduced sorptivity, increased density and reduced thermal conductivity. In addition, the compressive strengths of samples containing oil drill cuttings were comparable to control samples. The work demonstrates the potential for the beneficial reuse of waste oil drill cuttings treated by thermal desorption in the production of sandcrete blocks with improved properties.