Method of treating pressurized drilling fluid returns from a well
First Claim
1. A method of treating pressurized drilling fluid returns from a well having a returns outlet, the method comprising the steps of:
- (i) providing a primary separation means for selectively separating solid, liquid and gas components of the drilling fluid returns, said primary separation means having input means for introducing drilling fluid returns thereto;
(ii) providing a secondary separation means for selectively separating at least a portion of a gas component in the drilling fluid returns, said secondary separation means having input means for introducing drilling fluid returns thereto;
(iii) connecting said input means of said primary separation means and said input means of said secondary separation means to the returns outlet of the well, said input means of said secondary separation means connected to the well returns outlet upstream of said input means of said primary separation means;
(iv) providing control means to regulate the flow of drilling fluid returns through said input means of said primary separation means and through said input means of said secondary separation means;
(v) monitoring the flow of the gas component of the drilling fluid returns expelled from said primary separation means; and
, (vi) in response to changes in the flow of gas expelled from said primary separation means, operating said control means to regulate the flow of drilling fluid returns through said primary and said secondary separation means to thereby maintain the flow of gas expelled from said primary separation means within predetermined parameters.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of treating pressurized drilling fluid returns from a well having a returns outlet. The method comprises the steps of providing a primary separator for selectively separating solid, liquid and gas components of the drilling fluid returns where the primary separator has an input for introducing drilling fluid returns thereto; providing a secondary separator for selectively separating at least a portion of a gas component in the drilling fluid returns where the secondary separator has an input for introducing drilling fluid returns thereto; connecting the input of the primary separator and the input of the secondary separator to the returns outlet of the well such that the input of the secondary separator is connected to the well returns outlet upstream of the input of the primary separator; providing a control to regulate the flow of drilling fluid returns through the input of the primary and secondary separators; monitoring the flow of the gas component of the drilling fluid returns expelled from the primary separator; and, in response to changes in the flow of gas expelled from the primary separator, operating the control to regulate the flow of drilling fluid returns through the primary and secondary separators to maintain the flow of gas expelled from the primary separator within predetermined parameters.
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Citations
12 Claims
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1. A method of treating pressurized drilling fluid returns from a well having a returns outlet, the method comprising the steps of:
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(i) providing a primary separation means for selectively separating solid, liquid and gas components of the drilling fluid returns, said primary separation means having input means for introducing drilling fluid returns thereto;
(ii) providing a secondary separation means for selectively separating at least a portion of a gas component in the drilling fluid returns, said secondary separation means having input means for introducing drilling fluid returns thereto;
(iii) connecting said input means of said primary separation means and said input means of said secondary separation means to the returns outlet of the well, said input means of said secondary separation means connected to the well returns outlet upstream of said input means of said primary separation means;
(iv) providing control means to regulate the flow of drilling fluid returns through said input means of said primary separation means and through said input means of said secondary separation means;
(v) monitoring the flow of the gas component of the drilling fluid returns expelled from said primary separation means; and
,(vi) in response to changes in the flow of gas expelled from said primary separation means, operating said control means to regulate the flow of drilling fluid returns through said primary and said secondary separation means to thereby maintain the flow of gas expelled from said primary separation means within predetermined parameters. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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Specification