US 6,386,026 B1 · Cuttings sample catcher and method of use

Abstract

A sample catcher comprises an inclined sampling screw conveyor which intercepts a continuous stream of drill cuttings from a shaker. A vaned metering rotor accepts a plurality of discrete samples from adjacent the conveyor's discharge. The vaned rotor is rotated at a lag rate proportional to the rate of penetration at the time the stream of cuttings with drilled. The plurality of discrete samples are discharged as a substantially continuous sample stream which is directed through a second conveyor to one or more analytical instruments. Further, the sample stream can be directed to a sample bag carousel which is index advanced for associating the bag contents with the drilling. The apparatus enables a method of analyzing cutting samples which correlate to the cuttings when drilled and in a process which is continuous.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A method for analyzing a continuous stream of drill cuttings produced while drilling, the rate of penetration being known over time, comprising the steps of:

receiving the continuous stream of drill cuttings;
mixing the continuous stream of drill cuttings;
continuously determining lag rate of penetration (ROP) for the moment in time the drill cuttings in the continuous stream were drilled;
extracting discrete samples of cuttings from the continuous stream of mixed cuttings at an extraction rate proportional to the lag ROP, the extraction rate being less than the continuous stream of drill cuttings wherein a substantially continuous sample stream of discrete samples is produced;
and
extracting at least a portion of the substantially continuous sample stream for sample analysis.

3 more elements

Apparatus for analysis of a continuous stream of drill cuttings produced while drilling, the rate of penetration (ROP) being known over time, comprising:

a conveyor for receiving and continuously mixing the continuous stream of drill cuttings and having a outlet for discharging a continuous stream of mixed cuttings;
a first housing having two or more chambers movable therein, the housing having an inlet and an outlet, the first housing's inlet being positioned adjacent the conveyor's outlet, the one or more chambers being periodically aligned with the first housing's inlet to extract a series of discrete samples of mixed cuttings, the extraction rate being less than the continuous stream of mixed cuttings, and the one or more chambers being periodically aligned with the first housing's outlet to discharge the series of discrete samples of cuttings as a substantially continuous sampling stream, the rate of discharge of the sampling stream being proportional to a lag ROP being the ROP at the moment in time the drill cuttings received in the conveyor were drilled;
and
one or more analytical instruments arranged for analyzing the sample stream.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Cuttings sample catcher and method of use

Life of this patent

Cuttings sample catcher and method of use

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims16