Apparatus and methods of separation of materials in an under-balanced drilling operation
AssigneeHalliburton Energy Services, Inc.
InventorsJoseph Michael Karigan, Wesley Jay Burris, II
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Disclosed are improved apparatus and methods of separation and control of drilling fluids in under-balanced drilling. Separation is conducted at reduced pressures to improve gas separation efficiencies. Preferably, separation is performed in multiple steps of pressure drops to eliminate foaming and to enhance gas removal. Solids are removed from the shaped bottom of a separation pressure chamber by creating a slurry and fluidizing and agitating the slurry to enhance solids removal.
Claims26
A method of separating fluids present in a hydrocarbon well in an under-balanced drilling operation wherein operating fluid circulating through the well during drilling is mixed with well materials flowing into the wall from a surrounding well formation and is mixed with solids from the drilling operation and wherein a returning stream of mixed fluids and solids flowing out of the well is at an elevated pressure, comprising the steps of:
- supplying the returning stream flowing out of the well to a vertically extending separation chamber with a substantially conical bottom head with a solids outlet therein;
- separating the liquid, gas, and solids of the returning stream in the chamber;
- collecting the solids in the bottom of the chamber by gravity;
- and
- removing the solids from the chamber by forming a moving slurry in the bottom of the chamber to agitate the solids and move them out through the solids inlet.
An vertically extending separation apparatus for separating materials from a returning stream from a hydrocarbon well in an under-balanced condition wherein operating fluid circulating through the well during drilling is mixed with well materials flowing into the well from a surrounding well formation and is mixed with solids from the drilling operation and wherein a returning stream of mixed liquid, gas and solids flowing out of the well is at an elevated pressure, comprising;
- a pressure chamber having an interior wall, the chamber for separating the liquid, gas and solids of the returning stream;
- a substantially conical bottom head in the chamber with a solids outlet therein, the bottom head of the chamber for collecting the solids by gravity to form a solids slurry;
- and
- an agitation means in the bottom head of the chamber for agitating the solids slurry to thereby move the solids out through the solids outlet.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.