Non -cryogenic nitrogen for on-site downhole drilling and post drillingoperations
AssigneeMG Nitrogen Services, Inc.
InventorKeith P. Michael
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for enhancing gas or oil production by delivering a nitrogen rich gas produced from a non-cryogenic source into the well and/or reservoir where the gas and/or oil is located.
Claims52
A method for producing an inert rich gas for use in removing cuttings from a drilling region of a well comprising:
- removing at least a substantial portion of oxygen contained within a feed stream of air to produce an inert rich gas and an oxygen enriched waste gas;
- and
- supplying the inert rich gas to equipment for direction to the drilling region of the well at a pressure and flow rate sufficient to remove cuttings from the drilling region.
A method for producing an inert rich gas for use in lightening a drilling fluid comprising:
- removing at least a substantial portion of oxygen contained within a feed stream of air to produce an inert rich gas and an oxygen enriched waste gas;
- and
- supplying the inert rich gas to equipment for combination with a drilling fluid.
A method for producing an inert rich gas for use as a drilling fluid comprising:
- providing a feed stream of air;
- separating at least a substantial portion of an inert gas from other components of the feed stream of air;
- and
- supplying the inert rich gas to equipment for use as a drilling fluid.
A method for producing a nitrogen rich gas for use in reducing a density of a cement-like material used to secure casings in a well comprising:
- removing at least a substantial portion of oxygen contained within a feed stream of air to produce a nitrogen rich gas and an oxygen enriched waste gas;
- and
- supplying the nitrogen rich gas to equipment for combination with the cement-like material.
A method for producing a nitrogen rich gas for use in enhancing gas or oil production by assisting gas or oil to rise out of a well comprising:
- removing at least a substantial portion of oxygen contained within a feed stream of air to produce a nitrogen rich gas and an oxygen enriched waste gas;
- and
- supplying the nitrogen rich gas to equipment for use in assisting the gas or oil to rise out of the well.
A method of producing a nitrogen rich gas for use in carrying an additive into a well comprising:
- removing at least a substantial portion of oxygen contained within a feed stream of air to produce a nitrogen rich gas and an oxygen enriched waste gas;
- and
- supplying the inert rich gas to equipment for combination with the additive.
An apparatus for producing an inert rich gas for use in oil or gas drilling or completion operations comprising:
- a membrane separator for separating at least a substantial portion of oxygen contained within a feed stream of air to produce an inert rich gas and an oxygen enriched waste gas;
- and
- a booster compressor to increase the pressure of the inert rich gas to a level sufficient for use in oil or gas drilling or completion operations and to supply the inert rich gas to equipment for use in oil or gas drillings or completion operations.
A method for producing an inert rich gas for use in removing cuttings from a drilling region of a well comprising:
- removing at least a substantial portion of oxygen contained within a feed stream of air to produce an inert rich gas and an oxygen enriched waste gas;
- and
- supplying the inert rich gas to equipment for direction to the drilling region of the well to remove cuttings from the drilling region.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.