System and method for de-watering waste drilling fluids
AssigneeKem-Tron Technologies, Inc.
InventorsDavid B. REARDON, Dilipkumar P. SHAH
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Systems and methods for de-watering waste drilling fluid. In some embodiments, the de-watering system includes a drilling fluid reclamation system receiving the waste drilling fluid from a wellbore and removing at least some solids from the waste drilling fluid, a manifold combining the waste drilling fluid from the drilling fluid reclamation system and organic polymers, whereby an aggregated mixture of solids in the waste drilling fluid and water are formed, and a centrifuge receiving the aggregated mixture and separating the solids from the water in the aggregated mixture, whereby solid drilling fluid waste and substantially colloidal-free water are formed.
Claims20
A system for de-watering waste drilling fluid, the system comprising:
- a manifold comprising:
- a de-stabilizing zone adapted to combine organic coagulant and the waste drilling fluid, whereby solids suspended in the waste drilling fluid are de-stabilized and a de-stabilized mixture of the de-stabilized solids is formed;
- and
- an aggregating zone downstream of the de-stabilizing zone, the aggregating zone adapted to combine organic flocculant and the de-stabilized mixture, whereby the de-stabilized solids are aggregated to form a plurality of flocs and an aggregated mixture of the flocs and water is formed.
A system for de-watering waste drilling fluid, the system comprising:
- a drilling fluid reclamation system receiving the waste drilling fluid from a wellbore and removing at least some solids from the waste drilling fluid;
- a manifold combining the waste drilling fluid from the drilling fluid reclamation system and organic polymers, whereby an aggregated mixture of solids in the waste drilling fluid and water are formed;
- and
- a centrifuge receiving the aggregated mixture and separating the solids from the water in the aggregated mixture, whereby solid drilling fluid waste and substantially colloidal-free water are formed.
A method for de-watering of waste drilling fluid flowing at a preselected flowrate, the method comprising:
- rotating a sample of the waste drilling fluid in a container to form a vortex;
- adding a quantity of organic coagulant to the sample until coagulation of the sample occurs, wherein solids contained in the sample are de-stabilized;
- adding a quantity of organic flocculant to the sample until aggregation occurs, wherein a plurality of flocs are formed;
- calculating a flowrate of the coagulant as a function of the quantity of the coagulant added to the container, the quantity of the waste drilling fluid added to the container, and the preselected waste drilling fluid flowrate;
- and
- calculating a flowrate of the flocculant as a function of the quantity of the flocculant added to the container, the quantity of the waste drilling fluid added to the container, and the preselected waste drilling fluid flowrate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.