Drilling fluid treatment systems

• US 20090178978A1
• Filed: 01/14/2008
• Published: 07/16/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: National Oilwell Varco LP (NOV, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: National Oilwell Varco LP (NOV, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bird, Dean Mitchell, Crosswhite, Donald Tracey, Beebe, Randy Charles, Kellert, Larry Jona, Tait, James Joseph
• Granted Patent: US 8,133,164 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 210/747
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 21/065 Separating solids from drilling fluids

Abstract

A system for well fluid treatment, the system being transportable, the system including a base, a support structure on the base, a brace apparatus connected to the base and to the support structure for bracing the support structure during movement of the system, the brace apparatus releasably secured to the support structure and releasably secured to the base, at least one holding tank on the base for holding well fluid to be treated, from an active rig well fluid system and the well fluid to be treated including solids, centrifuge apparatus for centrifuging a mixture of well fluid and solids from the at least one holding tank, producing reusable fluid, a first pump apparatus for pumping well fluid and solids from the at least one holding tank to the centrifuge apparatus, and a centrifuge support on the base for supporting the centrifuge apparatus. The system including a mixing tank for mixing materials in aqueous solution for introduction to well fluid in the at least one holding tank, and a second pump apparatus for pumping materials in aqueous solution from the mixing tank to the at least one holding tank. The system wherein the materials in aqueous solution include flocculant and coagulant. This abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract which will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure and is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims, 37 C.F.R. 1.72(b).

Claims

1. A system for well fluid treatment, the system being transportable, the system comprising

a base,

a support structure on the base,

a brace apparatus connected to the base and to the support structure for bracing the support structure during movement of the system, the brace apparatus releasably secured to the support structure and releasably secured to the base,

at least one holding tank on the base for holding well fluid to be treated, the well fluid to be treated from an active rig well fluid system and the well fluid to be treated including solids,

centrifuge apparatus for centrifuging a mixture of well fluid and solids from the at least one holding tank, producing a reusable component of the well fluid,

a first pump apparatus for pumping well fluid and solids from the at least one holding tank to the centrifuge apparatus, and

a centrifuge support on the base for supporting the centrifuge apparatus.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising

a mixing tank for mixing materials in aqueous solution for introduction to well fluid in the at least one holding tank, and

a second pump apparatus for pumping materials in aqueous solution from the mixing tank to the at least one holding tank.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the materials in aqueous solution include flocculant and coagulant.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising

raising apparatus connected to the centrifuge support for raising the centrifuge support and the centrifuge apparatus to a desired height.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the raising apparatus raises the centrifuge support up vertically.

6. The system of claim 4 wherein the raising apparatus includes hydraulically powered piston apparatus for raising the centrifuge support.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one holding tank has a conical bottom for facilitating solids concentration and movement.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein

the at least one holding tank is two holding tanks comprising

a first holding tank,

a second holding tank adjacent the first holding tank,

the second pump apparatus pumping the materials in aqueous solution into the first holding tank, and

the first holding tank receiving the well fluid to be treated.

9. The system of claim 8 further comprising

water flow apparatus via which water is flowable from the second holding tank to the first holding tank.

10. The system of claim 9 further comprising

a third pump apparatus for pumping water from the first holding tank.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the third pump apparatus pumps the water to one of the active rig well fluid system and storage.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the well fluid to be treated includes drilled solids and

the centrifuge apparatus produces an overflow of cleaned well fluid for feed back to the active rig well fluid system, and

the centrifuge apparatus produces an underflow of drilled solids.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein

the centrifuge apparatus includes a plurality of centrifuges for processing fluid with solids from the at least one holding tank.

14. The system of claim 1 wherein the well fluid to be treated contains recoverable barite solids and

the centrifuge apparatus produces an underflow with recovered barite solids for feed to the active rig well fluid system, and

the centrifuge apparatus produces an overflow for feed to the at lest one holding tank.

15. The system of claim 14 further comprising

a jet line for providing fluid under pressure to the recovered barite solids to facilitate flow of the recovered barite solids to the active rig well fluid system.

16. A system for well fluid treatment, the system being transportable, the system comprising

a base,

a support structure on the base,

a brace apparatus connected to the base and to the support structure for bracing the support structure during movement of the system, the brace apparatus releasably secured to the support structure and releasably secured to the base,

at least one holding tank on the base for holding well fluid to be treated, from an active rig well fluid system and the well fluid to be treated including drilling solids and drilled solids,

centrifuge apparatus for centrifuging a mixture of well fluid and solids from the at least one holding tank, producing reusable drilling solids,

a first pump apparatus for pumping well fluid and drilling solids from the at least one holding tank to the centrifuge apparatus,

a centrifuge support on the base for supporting the centrifuge apparatus,

a mixing tank for mixing materials in aqueous solution for introduction to well fluid in the at least one holding tank,

a second pump apparatus for pumping materials in aqueous solution from the mixing tank to the at least one holding tank, and

wherein the materials in aqueous solution include flocculant and coagulant.

17. A method for treating well fluid with drilling fluid, drilled solids, and drilling solids therein, the well fluid from an active rig well fluid system, the method comprising

providing well fluid to a well fluid treatment system from an active rig well fluid system, the well fluid treatment system comprising a base, a support structure on the base, a brace apparatus connected to the base and to the support structure for bracing the support structure during movement of the system, the brace apparatus releasably secured to the support structure and releasably secured to the base, at least one holding tank on the base for holding well fluid to be treated, from an active rig well fluid system and the well fluid to be treated including solids, centrifuge apparatus for centrifuging a mixture of well fluid and solids from the at least one holding tank, producing reusable fluid, a first pump apparatus for pumping well fluid and solids from the at least one holding tank to the centrifuge apparatus, and a centrifuge support on the base for supporting the centrifuge apparatus, and

producing reusable material with the centrifuge apparatus.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein

the centrifuge apparatus produces a stream of reusable drilling solids, and

returning the stream of reusable drilling solids to the active rig well fluid system.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein

the centrifuge apparatus produces a stream of reusable fluid, and

returning the stream of reusable fluid to the active rig well fluid system.

20. A method for transporting a well fluid treatment system, the well fluid treatment system comprising well fluid treatment apparatuses secured to a support structure, the support structure secured to a base, the method comprising

connecting bracing apparatus releasably to the base and to the support structure to brace the well fluid treatment system during movement of the well fluid treatment system.

21. A method for moving a centrifuge support with centrifuge apparatus thereon of a well fluid treatment system, the method comprising

raising with raising apparatus the centrifuge support with centrifuge apparatus thereon, said raising comprising raising the centrifuge support up vertically.