Systems and methods for processing drill cuttings
AssigneeSaudi Arabian Oil Company
InventorsMokhles M. Mezghani, Abdul Hafiz O. Masri, Mustafa A. Al Ibrahim
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An example system may be used to automate one or more processes relating to drill cutting handling, cleaning, and packing to produce consistently high-quality cleaned samples. In some implementations, an example system may employ cleaning processes including centrifugal and ultrasonic processes to clean a sample automatically without the aid of a human operator thereby increasing efficiency and quality of the produced samples for better subsequent sample analysis. A system may include an unloading module, a cleaning module, and packing module, all of which may be operated in combination with a robotic arm.
Claims20
A system for processing a sample comprising drill cuttings from a wellbore in a rock formation, the system comprising:
- an unloading module for transferring the sample from a collection container to a sample tube using a funnel, the unloading module comprising an unloading module camera for reading a label on the collection container;
- a cleaning module for cleaning a sample, the cleaning module comprising a tank comprising a centrifuge for centrifuging the sample tube;
- a packing module for packaging a sample into a storage container, the packing module comprising a tray for receiving the sample from the sample tube, a packing module camera for imaging the sample, and a labeling device for labeling the storage container containing the sample;
- and
- a robotic arm for transferring the sample tube between the unloading module, the cleaning module, and the packing module, the robotic arm comprising a robotic arm camera.
A method for processing a sample comprising drill cuttings from a wellbore in a rock formation, the method comprising:
- receiving the sample from a collection container in a funnel located in an unloading module of a sample processing system;
- transferring the sample to a sample tube using the funnel;
- reading, by an unloading module camera, a label on the collection container;
- transferring, by a robotic arm, the sample tube from the unloading module to a cleaning module comprising a tank comprising a centrifuge;
- centrifuging the sample tube;
- transferring, by the robotic arm, the sample tube to a packing module,
- the packing module comprising a tray for receiving the sample from the sample tube, a packing module camera, and a labeling device,
- imaging, by the packing module camera, the sample;
- and
- packing, by the packing device, the sample in a storage container.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.