ACTUATED ARM FOR USE WITH A SHAKER

• US 20140138323A1
• Filed: 11/16/2012
• Published: 05/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: M-I LLC (Schlumberger NV)
• Original Assignee: M-I LLC (Schlumberger NV)
• Inventors: Geehan, Thomas, Jones, Bradley N.
• Granted Patent: US 9,869,145 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 210/739
• CPC Class Codes: B07B 1/40 Resonant vibration screens
• CPC Class Codes: B07B 1/46 Constructional details of screens in general; Cleaning or heating of screens
• CPC Class Codes: B07B 1/4627 Repairing of screening surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B07B 1/55 with fluid jets
• CPC Class Codes: B07B 13/16 Feed or discharge arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B07B 2201/04 Multiple deck screening devices comprising one or more superimposed screens
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 11/00 Manipulators not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 15/0019 End effectors other than grippers
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 21/065 Separating solids from drilling fluids
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49721 with disassembling
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49769 Using optical instrument [excludes mere human eyeballing]

Abstract

A system and method include a shaker configured to separate solids from a drilling fluid, the shaker having a screen assembly, and an actuated arm operatively coupled to the shaker, the actuated arm configured to interact with the screen assembly of the shaker. The actuated arm is configured to interact with the screen assembly of the shaker, with the actuated arm configured to remove, to inspect, to clean, to repair, or to replace the screen assembly of the shaker.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a shaker configured to separate solids from a drilling fluid, the shaker having a screen assembly; and

an actuated arm operatively coupled to the shaker, the actuated arm configured to interact with the screen assembly of the shaker.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the actuated arm configured to interact with the screen assembly of the shaker comprises the actuated arm configured to remove, to inspect, to clean, to repair, or to replace the screen assembly of the shaker.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the actuated arm comprises a plurality of gripping members movable with respect to each other that are configured to grasp the screen assembly of the shaker.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the actuated arm comprises an engagement member configured to engage a cavity formed within the screen assembly of the shaker.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the actuated arm comprises a camera configured to inspect the screen assembly of the shaker and a light source configured to emit light therefrom.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the actuated arm comprises a nozzle configured to emit a cleaning fluid therefrom.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the actuated arm comprises a sampling and measuring device configured to sample and take measurements of the drilling fluid or solids within the shaker.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the actuated arm comprises a sealant or a plug configured to repair the screen assembly therewith.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the shaker is disposed on a floor of a drilling rig, and wherein the actuated arm is disposed on the floor of the drilling rig or is connected to a rail disposed above the floor of the drilling rig.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the shaker comprises a plurality of shakers, each shaker having a screen assembly; and

the actuated arm is configured to interact with each of the screen assemblies of each of the plurality of shakers.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the screen assembly of the shaker comprises a first screen assembly, a second screen assembly, and a third screen assembly; and

the actuated arm is configured to interact with the first screen assembly, the second screen assembly, and the third screen assembly of the shaker.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the actuated arm is configured to replace the screen assembly of the shaker with a replacement screen assembly.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the actuated arm is electrically actuated, mechanically actuated, hydraulically actuated, or pneumatically actuated.

14. A method comprising:

actuating an actuated arm operatively coupled to a shaker, the shaker having a screen assembly;

removing the screen assembly from the shaker using the actuated arm; and

inspecting the screen assembly of the shaker using a camera of the actuated arm.

15. The method of claim 14, based upon the inspection of the screen assembly, the method further comprises one of:

cleaning the screen assembly of the shaker using cleaning fluid emitted from a nozzle of the actuated arm;

repairing the screen assembly of the shaker with a sealant or a plug using the actuated arm; and

replacing the screen assembly of the shaker with a replacement screen assembly using the actuated arm.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein inspecting the screen assembly of the shaker comprises:

determining if the screen assembly comprises defects above a predetermined amount;

repairing the screen assembly if the defects of the screen assembly are below the predetermined amount; and

replacing the screen assembly with the replacement screen assembly if the defects of the screen assembly are above the predetermined amount.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

determining a drilling fluid load on the screen assembly using the actuated arm; and

adjusting a parameter of the shaker to modify the drilling fluid load on the screen assembly.

18. A system comprising:

a plurality of shakers configured to separate solids from a drilling fluid, each of the plurality of shakers having a screen assembly; and

a plurality of replacement screen assemblies disposed in proximity of the plurality of shakers; and

an actuated arm operatively coupled to the plurality of shakers, the actuated arm configured to replace the screen assembly from each of the plurality of shakers with one of the plurality of replacement screen assemblies, the actuated arm comprising;

a diagnostic device configured to inspect each of the screen assemblies of the plurality of shakers; and

an engagement device configured to engage with each of the screen assemblies of the plurality of shakers.

19. The system of claim 18,

wherein the diagnostic device of the actuated arm comprises at least one of:

a camera configured to inspect the screen assembly of the shaker and a light source configured to emit light therefrom; and

a sampling and measuring device configured to sample and take measurements of the drilling fluid or solids within the shaker; and

wherein the engagement device of the actuated arm comprises at least one of;

a plurality of gripping members movable with respect to each other that are configured to grasp the screen assembly of the shaker;

an engagement member configured to engage a cavity formed within the screen assembly of the shaker; and

a nozzle configured to emit a cleaning fluid therefrom.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the actuated arm further comprises a repairing device configured to repair each of the screen assemblies of the plurality of shakers.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein the plurality of shakers are interconnected with each other such that, when the actuated arm is interacting with one of the plurality of shakers, the drilling fluid is redistributed amongst the remainder of the plurality of shakers.