The present embodiments generally relate to an offshore drilling rig for oil or natural gas drilling which includes a drill cutting and waste removal system for removing waste from a wellbore at a rate at which the rig is operating.
A need exists for a drilling rig which has a clog free high volume drill cuttings and waste processing system that enables accelerated offloading of drill cutting and waste to a transport vessel or for post treatment while drilling.
The present embodiments meet these needs.
The detailed description will be better understood in conjunction with the accompanying drawings as follows:
The present embodiments are detailed below with reference to the listed Figures.
Before explaining the system and method in detail, it is to be understood that the system and method are not limited to the particular embodiments and that it can be practiced or carried out in various ways.
The present invention helps prevent toxic waste being in contact with humans on an offshore oil rig, and prevent spill of waste into the sea, or land, if the rig is land based.
Waste, such as drilling fluid, namely drilling mud, on the decks of offshore rigs creates a slip hazard. The present rig with closed loop waste treatment transportation system provides a closed environment for transporting waste that helps keeps rigs safer for roughnecks and crew.
The rig with closed loop system for waste treatment lowers the risk of permanent paralysis of a person working on a rig and lowers the chance of a head injury for a person working on a rig by eliminating the need to lift a box of waste off a rig.
In labor costs, and energy costs, the present invention eliminates the need to do 100's of lifts of waste boxes for removal of waste from the rig, over the life the well. This rig with waste transport system saves thousands of man hours over the life of a well reducing hours of potentially hazardous duty to rig and offshore service vessel personnel.
Problems exist and could exist regarding use of waste boxes from rigs for waste removal. Boxes of waste have been dropped. The present invention eliminates boxes from being dropped to remove waste.
Studies have been done on the dangers of lifting boxes of waste from offshore oil drilling platforms, and the dangers have been identified related to boxes being dropped.
Danger potentially exists when a dropped box could fall on people breaking bones, causing head injuries and limb damage.
The boxes typically weigh 10 tons when full and when lifted from the rig. The present invention avoids the need for these waste boxes.
It is contemplated that if a box fell on a person directly, it could kill them. The present system avoids this potential death.
Waste boxes which could be 10 tons filled, could drop through the decks of rig tenders, severely damaging the tender or sinking them. The invention prevents damaging and sinking of tenders to offshore vessels.
The invention saves over 415 metric tons per year of CO2 emissions for a rig annually as compared to currently available waste transportation systems. This calculation has been determining using the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency website EPA.gov when inserting the low horsepower needed by the present invention as compared to a commercially available unit.
The invention uses a fuel efficient low horsepower, 30 hp as compared to the conventional 120 hp, for retrieval of cuttings from a rig buffer storage, which enables significant savings on hundreds of tons of CO2 emissions.
The present invention creates a buffer cutting storage system that allows oil and natural gas rigs to continue drilling operations when the weather prevents offshore service vessels from being alongside a rig for removal of cuttings.
The current invention creates a rig that allows continuous operation by allowing continuous waste transport removal, saving day rates of $500,000 to $1,000,000 by keeping the rigs operating even in bad weather, such as a storm with a wave height exceeding 3 meters. The making the drilling rig more efficient, and by continuing the drilling operation, this unique rig with continuous waste treatment removal system reduces CO2 emission over the life of the well.
The invention relates to a drilling rig with rig buffer storage and optional surge tank for receiving and processing drill cuttings and waste made of a drilling rig.
The rig buffer storage has a tank in a frame with an inlet and an outlet, a moveable weir for expanding to accommodate additional drill cuttings, a central sweep member for cutting the drill cuttings and waste opposite a peripheral outer ring with peripheral cutting members, allowing bidirectional cuttings, a controller for controlling rates of flow into and out of the rig buffer storage and the central sweep member rotation via a motor with reduction gear and further having a first transportation system for moving waste from the well bore to the rig buffer storage and a second transportation system for moving cut waste and cut drill cuttings to a post treatment system, a skip, or a vessel, ultimately for transport to another location.
Turning now to the Figures,
The oil and natural gas drilling or production rig 1 can have a derrick 10 with a deck 11. The derrick 10 can have crown block 12 above the deck 11.
A drawworks 13 with cable 14, wherein the cable 14 connects the drawworks over the crown block 12 through sheaves 15 to a traveling block 16.
A top drive 17 can be attached to the traveling block 16. A tubular 18 can be attached to the top drive 17.
A drill bit 19 can be secured to the tubular 18 opposite the top drive 17 for drilling a wellbore 2.
A blowout preventer 20 is shown connected between the drill bit 19 and the top drive 17.
A mud pump 22 is connected to a mud reservoir 24 for flowing drilling mud 25 contained in the mud reservoir to the top drive 17 then through to the tubular 18 to the drill bit 19. The drilling mud then is flowed back up the wellbore 2 to a solids removal system 27 for separating drill cuttings and waste from the drilling mud. A typical solids removal system can be a shaker system such as those made by Scomi Equipment Inc. of Houston, Tex.
A rig power generation plant 26 is connected to the mud pump 22, a drawworks 13, and the top drive 17.
A first incoming transportation system 3 shown in
A second incoming transportation system 4 shown in
The incoming transportation systems 3 and 4 can be a dense phase conveyance system (also known as a “DPCS”), a vacuum conveyance system, a dilute conveyance system, an auger, or combinations of these conveyance systems.
The incoming transportation systems can be mounted to the deck in embodiments wherein the rig is an offshore vessel. The term “deck” as used herein for land based rigs, can refer to the rig floor, the substructure or an oil field mat.
Rig buffer storage 200 can be disposed on the deck of the oil and natural gas drilling or production rig. The rig buffer storage 200 can receive the drill cuttings or waste or both from the first incoming transportation system 3.
The rig buffer storage 200 can have a lifting frame 202. The lifting frame 202 in embodiments can be fastened to the deck or to the rig floor. The lifting frame 202 can support a tank 204.
The tank 204 can receive drill cuttings or waste from a first incoming transportation system 3 via an upper tank inlet 206, a lower tank inlet 208 or combinations thereof. The tank 204 can have a vent valve 216 that controls venting of the tank.
The tank 204 can have a discharge port 209 through which drill cuttings or cut waste is flowed. A discharge valve 212 can be connected to the discharge port 209.
On the outside of the tank 204 is a weir controller 210 that controls or adjusts a height of a moveable weir in the tank.
The height can be adjusted from 6 inches to 18 inches in an embodiment allowing the weir to become flush with the top of a central sweep member in the tank or raised up to allow for easier flow of drill cuttings and waste to the central sweep member in the tank.
Weir controller 210 is depicted as a rotatable mechanical wheel, but in embodiments can be an electronic controller connected to a motor for raising or lowering the moveable weir.
In embodiments, the tank receives the drill cuttings and processes them at the same rate that the well is operating, at a rate a post treatment unit can handle, or a tendered floating vessel can handle.
In embodiments, this system can handle drill cuttings from 15 cubic meters of cuttings per hour to 60 or more cubic meters of cuttings per hour.
A low horsepower controllable central sweep motor 214 can connect to and operate a central sweep member for rotating a plurality of blades.
A controller 215 is depicted in communication with the low horsepower controllable central sweep motor 214. The controller can also be in communication with the vent valve and the discharge valve.
A transport line 207 is depicted for flowing waste up and into the upper portion of the tank from a lower tank inlet 208, creating agitation and non-laminar flow and to fill the tank.
A first outgoing transportation device 116 is shown connected to the tank. The first outgoing transportation device can be a dense phase conveyance system (also known as a “DPCS”) such as a CBP-800 made by Scomi Equipment, a vacuum conveyance system such as the Scomi Equipment rig vac system, a dilute conveyance system such as those made by Scomi Equipment, an auger such as a 12 inches to 18 inch diameter auger with a variable length, or combinations thereof, for communicating cut waste or drill cuttings from the tank.
The first outgoing transportation device 116 is shown flowing waste to a skip 970. The skip can be moveable and relocatable. The skip 970 can be positioned on the deck, for receiving the cut waste or drill cuttings from the first outgoing transportation device 116. Skips can be those provided by Scomi Equipment, known as cuttings skips, and can hold up to 10 ton of waste.
In one or more embodiments, the skip can be a post treatment device can be a thermal treatment system enabling the drill cuttings or waste to be disposed of at sea.
The plurality of blades can each have a length from 1 foot and 3 feet and in embodiments are slightly less than 50 percent the width of the an outer ring 1008 in the tank. Each blade can in embodiments, be oriented at an angle of 45 percent of a longitudinal axis of the tank to push drill cuttings or waste out towards the outer ring 1008.
The low horsepower controllable central sweep motor 214 can be connected to the central sweep member 240 and can rotate the plurality of blades 242a-242c for cutting segments of drill cuttings or waste in the tank 204.
The controller 215 is depicted in communication with the low horsepower controllable central sweep motor 214. In one or more embodiments, the controller can also be in communication with the vent valve and the discharge valve.
A moveable weir 244 can be used for adjusting the volume of drill cuttings or waste to be cut by the plurality of blades in the tank. The moveable weir is adjusted using the weir controller 210.
Gear reduction equipment 246 amplifies torque from the low horsepower controllable central sweep motor to initiate rotation of the plurality of blades, allowing the plurality of blades to cut the waste or drill cuttings.
The outer ring 1008 and the plurality of peripheral sweep members 180a are for clearing cut waste and flowing the cut waste to the discharge port 209.
In embodiments, the outer ring 1008 can range in size from 250 mm to 500 mm in diameter.
The peripheral sweep members can each be from 3 inches to 20 inches in length. Each peripheral sweep member can have a thickness from ¼ of an inch to 2 inches. In embodiments, the peripheral sweep members can be mounted at a 90 degree angle from the outer ring.
Also depicted is the first outgoing transportation device 116 that can be in fluid communication with the discharge valve 212.
The first outgoing transportation device 116 can be a dense phase conveyance system (also known as a “DPCS”), a vacuum conveyance system, a dilute conveyance system, an auger, or combinations thereof, for communicating cut waste or drill cuttings from the tank.
In one or more embodiments, the system can use a network 248 to bidirectional communicate with the controller 215.
The network 248 allows the controller 215 to communicate drill cutting and waste disposal information to client devices 250 that are connected to the network. The client devices can perform for data acquisition and analysis. In embodiments, the client devices can be laptops, cell phones, or other devices with a processor, data storage and a display, such as a computer. In embodiments, the client devices can be remote to the rig buffer storage.
Both
Both Figures show central sweep member 240 flowing the cut material to an outgoing transportation device 116 and 115 respectively.
The outer ring 1008 and the plurality of peripheral sweep members 180a-180f are for clearing cut waste and flowing the cut waste to the discharge port 209. The plurality of peripheral sweep members 180a-180f can be in a plane identical to the plurality of blades 242a-242d of the central sweep member.
The gear reduction equipment 246 is shown connected to the low horsepower controllable central sweep motor 214. The central sweep motor 214 can be explosion proof in embodiments.
The moveable weir 244 is shown and can be adjustable by the weir controller 210. The weir controller 210 can raise or lower the moveable weir 244 adjusting the volume of drill cuttings or waste to be cut by the plurality of blades 242a-242d.
In one or more embodiments, the central sweep member can have four blades. In other embodiments, the central sweep member can have from two to eight blades. In additional embodiments, the central sweep member in the rig buffer or the transportation surge vessel, or combinations thereof can have from two to eight blades.
The moveable weir 244 can be an adjustable ring that adjustably controls a volume of drill cuttings and waste to the central sweep member by controlling the thickness of waste being cut by each rotation of the central sweep member.
The second outgoing transportation device 115 is for communicating cut waste or drill cuttings from the tank of the rig storage buffer and flowing the cut waste or drill cuttings to either: a skip 970 positioned nearby for receiving the cut waste or drill cuttings from the outgoing transportation device which is then loaded on a floating transport ship; or a floating transport ship fluidly connected to the oil and natural gas drilling or production rig for receiving the cut waste or drill cuttings in bulk storage containers on the floating transport ship.
The second outgoing transportation device 115 is either a dense phase conveyance system, a dense phase conveyance system with an auger, an auger, a vacuum conveyance system, or combinations thereof.
In embodiments, the surge tank assembly 400 can be disposed between (a) a second incoming transport system shown in
The surge tank assembly 400 can have a surge tank frame 402, a surge tank 404, and a surge tank discharge port 406. The surge tank 404 can have a surge tank upper tank inlet 407 and a surge tank discharge valve 498.
The surge tank assembly 400 has a surge tank vent 496, a surge tank low horsepower controllable central sweep motor 492 and a surge tank gear reduction equipment 494 for amplifying torque from the surge tank low horsepower controllable central sweep motor 492 to initiate rotation of the plurality of surge tank blades, allowing the plurality of surge tank blades to cut the waste or drill cuttings.
Also shown in this Figure is a surge tank weir controller 493 for adjusting the volume of drill cuttings or waste in the surge tank moveable weir to be cut by the plurality of blades.
Also shown in this Figure is the surge tank low horsepower controllable central sweep motor 492 connected to the surge tank central sweep member 490 for rotating the plurality of surge tank blades.
A surge tank moveable weir 401 and a surge tank weir controller 493 for adjusting the volume of drill cuttings or waste to be cut by the plurality of surge tank blades.
Also depicted is surge tank gear reduction equipment 494 for amplifying torque from the surge tank low horsepower controllable central sweep motor 492 to initiate rotation of the plurality of surge tank blades, allowing the plurality of surge tank blades to cut the waste or drill cuttings.
The surge tank frame 402, the surge tank discharge port 406, and the surge tank discharge valve 498 are disposed in the surge tank assembly 400.
In embodiments, the surge tank can be smaller in volume than the rig buffer tank.
The surge tank contains surge tank peripheral sweep members 505a and 505b.
The surge tank has a surge tank outer ring 2008 secured to a plurality of the surge tank peripheral sweep members 505a and 505b in a plane identical to the plurality of surge tank blades. The surge tank outer ring 2008 and the surge tank peripheral sweep members 505a and 505b are for clearing cut waste and flowing the cut waste to the surge tank discharge port 406.
In one or more embodiments, the surge tank can communicate to the first incoming transportation device 3.
The surge tank has a surge tank upper tank inlet 407 connected to a second incoming transportation system 4 which can be an auger or a trough connected to the wellbore 2.
The surge tank gear reduction equipment 494 can be connected to a surge tank motor 492 which is run by a surge tank controller 495.
The surge tank can be connected to incoming transportation system 3. The first incoming transportation system 3 goes to the rig buffer storage 200.
The surge tank controller 495 can communicate to the network 248 as well to communicate to the client device 250.
The first step of this method, Step 902 involves moving separated waste and drilled cuttings to a rig buffer tank for storage, wherein the rig buffer tank receives the waste or drill cuttings at the same rate that the drilled cuttings and separated waste are being produced.
Step 904 involves emptying the rig buffer tank by rotating a central sweep member to cut the waste or drilled cuttings into transportable segments.
Step 906 involves flowing the transportable segments from the rig buffer tank to (i) a post treatment device at a preset rate, enabling post treatment to meet a preset post treatment capacity, (ii) to a skip for loading to an offshore transport ship, (iii) storage containers on a floating transport ship or combinations thereof.
Additionally a Step 908 can be used that involves using a surge tank to receive the separated drilled cuttings from the drilling mud, then cutting the separated drilled cuttings, and flowing the cut drill cuttings to the rig buffer storage to even out surges created by variable rates of penetration during drilling or during wellbore production activities and maintain a constant flow to the rig buffer storage.
In embodiments, the inlet to the rig buffer tank has a tangential entry to the rig buffer tank in line with the radius of the tank for receiving waste and drilled cuttings from the first incoming transportation system.
The rig buffer storage, if it has the tangential entry can further include a vortex finder 218 mounted centrally in an upper portion of the rig buffer tank to create a circular flow around a circumference of the tank 204. The tank 204 is contained in the lifting frame 202. The tank 204 has an upper tank inlet 206.
In embodiments, the vortex finder 218 can be mounted centrally in an upper portion of the rig buffer storage tank to create a circular flow of waste or drilling cutting around a circumference of the rig buffer tank.
Other embodiments of the system contemplate the rig buffer storage tank having a baffle 220 connected between the vortex finder 218 and an inner wall 222 of the tank for enhancing the circular flow of the waste or drilling cuttings around a circumference of the rig buffer tank. A vent valve 216 is also depicted.
While these embodiments have been described with emphasis on the embodiments, it should be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the embodiments might be practiced other than as specifically described herein.
The current application is a continuation in part and claims priority to co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/498,481 filed on Mar. 27, 2012, entitled “DRILL CUTTINGS METHODS AND SYSTEMS,” which is a 371 filing of PCT/US2010/050315 filed on Sep. 25, 2010, which claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/246,494 filed on Sep. 28, 2009. This reference is hereby incorporated in its entirety.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20130228371 A1 | Sep 2013 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 13498481 | US | |
Child | 13848456 | US |