Modular Pressure Control and Drilling Waste Management Apparatus for Subterranean Borehole

An apparatus comprising:

• a pressure control section in fluid communication with a subterranean borehole and controlling an operating pressure of fluid in the borehole, wherein the fluid comprises solids and entrained gas;
• a gas separator section in fluid communication with the pressure control section, wherein the gas separator section removes at least a portion of the entrained gas from the fluid and comprises a level sensor to determine a level of fluid in the gas separator section;
• and
• a waste management section comprising:
• a degasser section operable to remove entrained gases from the fluid;
• a vibratory separator in fluid communication with the degasser section, at least one of the degasser section and the vibratory separator receiving degassed fluid from the gas separator section;
• and
• a collection tank comprising at least one pit, the at least one pit receiving separated fluid from the vibratory separator;
• wherein the separated fluid is circulated back from the at least one pit to the gas separator section in response to the sensor indicating that the level of fluid is low.

A method comprising:

• controlling an operating pressure of a fluid, the fluid comprising solids and entrained gas;
• removing at least a portion of the entrained gas from the fluid at an upstream location;
• removing residual entrained gas from the fluid at a downstream location;
• and
• separating at least a portion of the solids from the fluid to produce separated fluid,
• wherein the separating of solids occurs after the removing of residual entrained gases from the fluid at the downstream location.

A method comprising:

• controlling an operating pressure of a fluid from a borehole, the fluid comprising solids and entrained gas;
• removing at least a portion of the entrained gas from the fluid;
• and
• preparing the fluid for recirculation to the borehole, the preparing comprising:
• separating at least a portion of the solids from the fluid;
• collecting the separated fluid;
• and
• circulating the separated fluid back to remove at least a portion of the entrained gas;
• circulating the separated fluid back to the borehole.