Pressure and flow control in drilling operations

• US 10,233,708 B2
• Filed: 06/03/2015
• Issued: 03/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Original Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Inventors: Bernard, Christopher J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bemko, Taras P
• Application Number:
  US14/729,830
• Publication Number:
  US 20150267489A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,385 Days
• Field of Search: 175 25, 175217
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 21/08 Controlling or monitoring pressure or flow of drilling fluid, e.g. automatic filling of boreholes, automatic control of bottom pressure valve arrangements therefor E21B21/10
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 21/10 Valve arrangements in drilling-fluid circulation systems
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 21/106 Valve arrangements outside the borehole, e.g. kelly valves valves specifically for maintaining circulation of drilling fluid while connecting or disconnecting tubular joints E21B21/019
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 44/00 Automatic control systems specially adapted for drilling operations, i.e. self-operating systems which function to carry out or modify a drilling operation without intervention of a human operator, e.g. computer-controlled drilling systems; Systems specially adapted for monitoring a plurality of drilling variables or conditions

Abstract

A well drilling system includes a flow control device regulating flow from a rig pump to a drill string, the flow control device being interconnected between the pump and a standpipe manifold, and another flow control device regulating flow through a line in communication with an annulus. Flow is simultaneously permitted through the flow control devices. A method of maintaining a desired bottom hole pressure includes dividing drilling fluid flow between a line in communication with a drill string interior and a line in communication with an annulus; the flow dividing step including permitting flow through a flow control device interconnected between a pump and a standpipe manifold.

Claims

1. A well drilling system for drilling a wellbore using a drill string, an annulus being formed between the drill string and the wellbore, comprising:

a pump which pumps drilling fluid through an interior of the drill string while drilling the wellbore;

a rig standpipe manifold in fluid communication with the pump;

a rig standpipe line interconnected between the drill string and the rig standpipe manifold;

a first flow control device interconnected between the pump and the rig standpipe manifold and connected upstream of the rig standpipe manifold;

a second flow control device which regulates flow from the pump through a bypass line in communication with the annulus; and

wherein flow of a fluid is simultaneously permitted through the first and second flow control devices.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first flow control device is operable independently from operation of the second flow control device.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the pump is a rig mud pump in communication via the first flow control device with the standpipe line for supplying the drilling fluid to the interior of the drill string.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the pump is a rig mud pump, and wherein the system is free of any other pump which applies pressure to the annulus.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a third flow control device which variably restricts flow from the annulus, and wherein an automated control system controls operation of the second and third flow control devices to maintain a desired annulus pressure while a connection is made in the drill string.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the control system further controls operation of the first flow control device automatically to maintain the desired annulus pressure while the connection is made in the drill string.

7. The system of claim 5, further comprising a fourth flow control device that is part of the rig standpipe manifold.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the first flow control device is interconnected between the pump and the rig standpipe manifold using hammer unions.