Method and apparatus for handling and disposal of oil and gas well drill cuttings

Apparatus for use in disposing of drill cuttings from an oil and/or gas well drilling platform, comprising:

• a) means for separating said drill cuttings from substantially all of a well drilling fluid in which said drill cuttings are carried from the area being drilled;
• b) a materials trough to which said drill cuttings are transported;
• c) a holding tank on the platform for holding said drill cuttings;
• d) a work boat floating next to the platform;
• e) a suction line for transporting said drill cuttings from said trough to said holding tank;
• and
• f) a flowline for transferring cuttings from the holding tank to the work boat.

A method for removing drill cuttings from an oil and gas well drilling platform that uses a drill bit supported with a drill string and a well drilling fluid during a digging of a well bore, comprising the steps of:

• a) separating drill cuttings from the well drilling fluid on the drilling platform so that the drilling fluid can be recycled into the well bore during drilling operations;
• b) transmitting the cuttings to a cuttings receptacle on the platform;
• c) suctioning the separated drill cuttings with a first suction line having an intake end portion that is positioned at the receptacle;
• d) transmitting the drill cuttings via the first suction line to a holding tank that has at least one access opening for communicating with the tank interior;
• e) forming a vacuum within the holding tank interior with a blower that is in fluid communication with the tank interior via a second vacuum line;
• and
• f) transferring the cuttings from the holding tank to a work boat using a flowline.

A method of removing drilling cuttings from an oil and gas well drilling platform that uses a drill bit supported with a drill string and a well drilling fluid during a digging of a well bore, comprising the steps of:

• a) separating drill cuttings from at least a volume of the well drilling fluid on the drilling platform so that a volume of the drilling fluids can be recycled into the well bore during drilling operations;
• b) transmitting the cuttings to a collection area on the platform;
• c) suctioning the separated drill cuttings with a first suction line having an intake end portion;
• d) transmitting the drill cuttings via the first suction line at a flow velocity in excess of 30.5 meters (one hundred feet) per second to a holding tank that has at least one opening for communicating with the tank interior;
• e) forming a vacuum within the holding tank interior with a blower that is in fluid communications with the tank interior via a second vacuum line;
• f) connecting the holding tank to a floating work boat with a discharge flowline;
• and
• g) transmitting cuttings from the tank to the work boat via the flowline.

A method for disposing of drill cuttings from an oil and/or gas well drilling platform, comprising:

• a) separating said drill cuttings from substantially all of a well drilling fluid in which said drill cuttings have been conveyed from an area being drilled;
• b) transporting said drill cuttings to a materials trough;
• c) transporting said drill cuttings from said trough via a first suction line to a holding tank using a vacuum;
• and
• d) transferring the drill cuttings from the holding tank to an underwater storage tank via a flowline.

Apparatus for use in disposing of drill cuttings from an oil and/or gas well drilling platform, comprising:

• a) means for separating said drill cuttings from substantially all of a well drilling fluid in which said drill cuttings are carried from the area being drilled;
• b) a materials trough to which said drill cuttings are transported;
• c) a holding tank on the platform for holding said drill cuttings;
• d) an underwater storage tank positioned next to the platform during use;
• e) a suction line for transporting said drill cuttings from said trough to said holding tank;
• and
• f) a flowline for transferring cuttings from the holding tank to the underwater storage tank.

A method for removing drill cuttings from an oil and gas well drilling platform that uses a drill bit supported with a drill string and a well drilling fluid during a digging of a well bore, comprising the steps of:

• a) separating drill cuttings from the well drilling fluid on the drilling platform so that the drilling fluid can be recycled into the well bore during drilling operations;
• b) transmitting the cuttings to a cuttings receptacle on the platform;
• c) suctioning the separated drill cuttings from the receptacle with a first suction line having an intake end portion that is positioned at the receptacle;
• d) transmitting the drill cuttings via the first suction line to a holding tank that has at least one access opening for communicating with the tank interior;
• e) forming a vacuum within the holding tank interior with a blower that is in fluid communication with the tank interior via a second vacuum line;
• and
• f) transferring the cuttings from the holding tank to an underwater storage tank using a flowline.

A method of removing drilling cuttings from an oil and gas well drilling platform that uses a drill bit supported with a drill string and a well drilling fluid during a digging of a well bore, comprising the steps of:

• a) separating drill cuttings from at least a volume of the well drilling fluid on the drilling platform so that a volume of the well drilling fluid can be recycled into the well bore during drilling operations;
• b) transmitting the cuttings to a collection area on the platform;
• c) suctioning the separated drill cuttings from the collection area with a first suction line having an intake end portion;
• d) transmitting the drill cuttings via the first suction line to a holding tank;
• e) forming a vacuum within the holding tank interior with a blower that is in fluid communications with the tank interior via a second vacuum line;
• f) connecting the holding tank to an underwater storage tank with a discharge flowline;
• and
• g) transmitting cuttings from the holding tank to the underwater storage tank via the discharge flowline.

Apparatus for use in disposing of drill cuttings from an oil and/or gas well drilling platform, comprising:

• a) means for separating said drill cuttings from substantially all of a well drilling fluid in which said drill cuttings are carried from the area being drilled;
• b) a materials trough to which said drill cuttings are transported;
• c) a container for holding said drill cuttings;
• and
• d) a suction line for transporting said drill cuttings from said trough to said container via a vacuum.