US 2006/0124524 A1 · Modular pressure control and drilling waste management apparatus for subterranean borehole operations

Abstract

A modularly segmented apparatus for precise borehole pressure control, removing waste from borehole fluid, and recirculating the cleaned borehole fluid includes a pressure control section, a gas separator section, and a waste management section. In the pressure control section, a pressure manifold interconnects a plurality of chokes. A plurality of valves are used to direct the contaminated fluid through one of the chokes, which maintains a precise and predetermined pressure in the system. The manifold, chokes, and valves are mounted on a skid for easy transport. In the gas separator section, a gas separator is used to remove a majority of the gases present in the contaminated borehole fluid. In the waste management section, a vibratory separator removes large solid contaminants from the degassed fluid. The solids are directed to a solids collection container for further treatment or disposal. The fluid is directed to a first pit, which may be one partitioned are of a larger collection tank. Fluid from the first pit is directed to a degasser which removes additional gases in the fluid and directs the fluid to a second pit. Fluid from the second pit is directed to a desilter, which removes additional solids and directs the fluid to a third pit. The solids from the desilter are directed to the solids collection container. Fluid from the third pit is directed to active rig pumps for recirculation into the borehole.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An apparatus for controlling operating pressure in and managing waste from a subterranean borehole, said apparatus comprising:

a pressure control section comprising:
a choke manifold having an inlet in fluid communication with the subterranean borehole and an outlet;
a plurality of choke assemblies selectively in fluid communication with the choke manifold;
a plurality of valves along the choke manifold operable to selectively direct flow through the manifold and to one of the plurality of choke assemblies;
wherein each choke is independently operable to control the operating pressure in the subterranean borehole;
a gas separator section in fluid communication with the choke manifold outlet, said gas separator section comprising:
a gas separator operable to remove gases present in the fluid from the choke manifold and discharge a degassed fluid;
a waste management section comprising:
a vibratory separator receiving the degassed fluid from the gas separator and removing solids from the degassed fluid and discharging fluid;
a collection tank having a plurality of pits therein defined by a plurality of spaced apart partitions, wherein a first pit is in fluid communication with a fluid discharge of the vibratory separator;
a degasser receiving fluid from the first pit and operable to remove gases entrained in the fluid while communicating degassed fluid to a second pit of the collection tank;
a desilter receiving fluid from the second pit and operable to remove additional solids and communicate desilted fluid to a third pit of the collection tank;
wherein the third pit of the collection tank is in fluid communication with the subterranean borehole.

10 more elements

A closed-loop system for managing borehole fluid for a subterranean borehole comprising:

a pressure control section in fluid communication with the subterranean borehole and operable to control the pressure of the fluid within the subterranean borehole;
a gas separator section receiving fluid from the pressure control system and operable to remove gases from the fluid;
a waste management section receiving fluid from the gas separator section and operable to remove solids and additional gases therefrom;
wherein the waste management section is in fluid communication with the subterranean borehole.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Modular pressure control and drilling waste management apparatus for subterranean borehole operations

Life of this patent

Modular pressure control and drilling waste management apparatus for subterranean borehole operations

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20