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US 12,623,162 B2Granted
System and method for removing drilling fluid from drill cuttings using direct heat
AssigneeElavo Energy Solutions Ltd.
InventorBarry McIntyre
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems and methods for removing drilling fluid from wet drill cuttings are described. According to some embodiments, the method comprises, at a pressure above atmospheric pressure: combusting a rich air-fuel mixture at a rich combustion temperature, thereby producing a generally low oxygen, inert rich exhaust; providing said rich exhaust to the wet drill cuttings to contact and directly heat the wet drill cuttings by convection so that at least a portion of the drilling fluid is evaporated therefrom and at least some dry solid drill cuttings remain; condensing at least a portion of the evaporated drilling fluid to produce condensed drilling fluid; and separately recovering the condensed drilling fluid and the dry solid drill cuttings.
Claims17
A method for removing drilling fluid from wet drill cuttings, comprising:
- combusting a rich air-fuel mixture at a combustion temperature, thereby producing a generally low oxygen, inert exhaust;
- providing said exhaust to the wet drill cuttings to contact and directly heat the wet drill cuttings by convection so that at least a portion of the drilling fluid is evaporated therefrom and at least some dry solid drill cuttings remain;
- agitating the wet drill cuttings while providing the exhaust to the wet drill cuttings;
- condensing at least a portion of the evaporated drilling fluid to produce condensed drilling fluid;
- and
- separately recovering the condensed drilling fluid and the dry solid drill cuttings,
- wherein providing the exhaust to the wet drill cuttings comprises:
- (a) providing the exhaust to a fixed bed of a fixed stage configured to receive the exhaust, and
- (b) providing the exhaust to an agitator stage upstream of and in fluid communication with the fixed bed and configured to receive the exhaust therefrom, the agitator stage having a mechanical mixing device configured to agitate the wet drill cuttings during agitation.
6 more elements
A system for removing drilling fluid from wet drill cuttings, comprising:
- a rich combustion chamber having at least one air inlet, at least one fuel inlet, wherein the rich combustion chamber is configured to heat a rich air-fuel mixture at a combustion temperature, thereby producing a generally low oxygen, inert exhaust;
- a processor having a processing chamber, the processing chamber having a cuttings inlet through which the wet drill cuttings are received into the processing chamber, an evaporated drilling fluids outlet, a dry drilling solids outlet and an exhaust inlet configured to receive the exhaust directly or indirectly from the rich combustion chamber, a fixed stage comprising a fixed bed in fluid communication with the exhaust inlet and configured to receive the exhaust therefrom, an agitator stage upstream of and in fluid communication with the fixed bed and configured to receive the exhaust therefrom, the agitator stage operatively connected to the cuttings inlet and having a mixing device configured to agitate the wet drill cuttings received therefrom,
- wherein the processor is configured to:
- provide the exhaust to the processing chamber to contact and directly heat the wet drill cuttings by convection so that at least a portion of drilling fluid is evaporated therefrom and at least some dry solid drill cuttings remain,
- provide evaporated drilling fluid to the evaporated drilling fluids outlet for recovery therefrom, and
- provide dry solid drill cuttings to the dry solids outlet for recovery therefrom;
- and
- at least one condensing device having a condenser inlet in fluid communication with the evaporated drilling fluids outlet, the at least one condensing device configured to condense at least a portion of the evaporated drilling fluids received directly or indirectly from the evaporated drilling fluids outlet and to provide condensed drilling fluid to a condenser outlet for recovery therefrom;
- wherein the rich combustion chamber, the processor and the at least one condensing device operate at a pressure above atmospheric pressure;
- and
- wherein the providing of the exhaust to the processing chamber to contact and directly heat the wet drill cuttings by convection comprises providing the exhaust to the agitator stage via the fixed bed and agitating the wet drill cuttings by the mixing device.
8 more elements
A processor for removing drilling fluid from wet drill cuttings, comprising:
- a processing chamber, the processing chamber having
- a cuttings inlet through which the wet drill cuttings are received into the processing chamber, an evaporated drilling fluids outlet, a dry drilling solids outlet, a process gas inlet configured to receive process gas, a fixed stage comprising a fixed bed in fluid communication with the process gas inlet and configured to receive the process gas therefrom, an agitator stage upstream of and in fluid communication with the fixed bed and configured to receive the process gas therefrom, the agitator stage operatively connected to the cuttings inlet and having a mixing device configured to agitate the wet drill cuttings received therefrom,
- wherein the processor is configured to
- provide the process gas to the fixed bed and the agitator stage, thereby heating the fixed bed and agitator stage so as to heat and agitate the wet drill cuttings so that at least a portion of drilling fluid is evaporated therefrom and at least some dry solid drill cuttings remain,
- provide evaporated drilling fluid to the evaporated drilling fluids outlet for recovery therefrom, and
- provide dry solid drill cuttings to the dry solids outlet for recovery therefrom;
- and
- wherein the processor operates at a pressure above atmospheric pressure.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.