Drill cuttings disposal method and system
AssigneeAtlantic Richfield Company
InventorJames E. Jackson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Drill cuttings are disposed of by injection into a subsurface formation by way of an annular space formed in a wellbore. The cuttings are removed from the drilling fluid, conveyed to a shearing and grinding system that converts the cuttings into a viscous slurry with the addition of water. The system comprises a receiving tank and a centrifugal pump for recirculating the mixture of cuttings and water (seawater) between the pump and the receiving tank. A discharge conduit is connected to the pump for moving the viscous slurry to an injection pump for high pressure injection into the formation.
Claims5
A system for producing a slurry of finely ground solids and a carrier liquid suitable for injection into an earth formation and the like, said system comprising:
- receiving means for receiving a quantity of said solids;
- means for conducting said solids to said receiving means;
- means for conducting said carrier liquid to said receiving means;
- conduit means in communication with said receiving means for discharging a mixture of said solids and said carrier liquid from said receiving means;
- and
- centrifugal pump means connected to said receiving means for reducing the particle size of said solids so that a slurry of said solids and said carrier liquid may be prepared for injection into said space.
A method for disposing of solids particles into an earth formation through a wellbore penetrating said earth formation, comprising the steps of:
- providing a system for generating a slurry formed of said solids particles and a carrier liquid, said system including means for reducing the particle size of said solids particles and means for conducting said slurry to an injection pump for injecting said slurry into said wellbore;
- mixing said solids particles with said carrier liquid;
- reducing the particle size of said solids particles to form a viscous fluid comprising said slurry;
- and
- conducting said slurry to said injection pump and injecting said slurry into said wellbore.
A method for disposing of drill cuttings produced during the drilling of a well into a wellbore penetrating an earth formation, said earth formation forming a place for receiving a slurry comprising said drill cuttings and a carrier liquid, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing a system for generating a slurry formed of said drill cuttings and said carrier liquid, said system including a centrifugal pump for at least partially reducing the particle size of said drill cuttings and means for conducting said slurry to an injection pump for injecting said slurry into said space;
- circulating said slurry through said centrifugal pump to reduce the particle size of said drill cuttings;
- and
- conducting said slurry to said injection pump and injecting said slurry into said wellbore.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.