Pneumatic line deicing system

• US 7,874,381 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2008
• Issued: 01/25/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Medici Industrial Licensing Company LLC (The Medici Portfolio LLC)
• Original Assignee: Skyhawk Chemicals, Inc.
• Inventors: Shaw, Stephen Glenn
• Primary Examiner(s): Bates; Zakiya W.
• Application Number:
  US12/201,006
• Publication Number:
  US 20100051281A1
• Time in Patent Office: 879 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 175/57
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 41/00 Equipment or details not covered by groups E21B15/00 - E21B40/00
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 57/00 Protection of pipes or objects of similar shape against external or internal damage or wear protection under water F16L1/123; supporting of pipes inside other pipes or sleeves F16L7/00; used in connection with end fittings of hoses F16L35/00; protection thereof during transport B65D59/00

Abstract

A wellbore servicing method comprising supplying a deicing fluid to a pressurized pneumatic line on a drilling rig, whereby the deicing fluid retards the formation of ice within the pressurized pneumatic line. A wellbore servicing apparatus comprising a pump, a sight glass container coupled to the pump, and a storage tank coupled to the sight glass container and the pump. A wellbore servicing apparatus comprising an air regulator configured to couple to a pneumatic line coupled to an air compressor, a pneumatic pump coupled to the air regulator and configured to couple to the pneumatic line, a sight glass container coupled to the pneumatic pump, and a storage tank coupled to the sight glass container and the pneumatic pump.

Claims

1. A wellbore servicing method comprising:

supplying a deicing fluid to a pressurized pneumatic line on a wellbore servicing equipment, whereby the deicing fluid retards the formation of ice within the pressurized pneumatic line.

2. The wellbore servicing method of claim 1, wherein the wellbore servicing equipment is a drilling rig, and wherein the pressurized pneumatic line powers pneumatic tools on the drilling rig.

3. The wellbore servicing method of claim 1, wherein the deicing fluid is supplied to the pressurized pneumatic line intermittently.

4. The wellbore servicing method of claim 1, wherein the deicing fluid is supplied to the pressurized pneumatic line when the temperature falls below a specified threshold.

5. The wellbore servicing method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving air from the pressurized pneumatic line at a first pressure;

decreasing the pressure of the air to a second pressure less than the first pressure; and

using the air at the second pressure to supply the deicing fluid to the pneumatic line at a third pressure greater than the first pressure.

6. The wellbore servicing method of claim 1, wherein the deicing fluid is supplied within the pressurized pneumatic line.

7. A wellbore servicing method comprising:

transporting a pneumatic line deicing system to a wellbore servicing site;

connecting the pneumatic line deicing system to a pneumatic line;

monitoring operations on the wellbore servicing site;

detecting a non-optimal situation at the wellbore servicing site;

injecting a deicing fluid by the pneumatic line deicing system into the pneumatic line; and

monitoring the wellbore servicing site to ensure that the injection of the deicing fluid corrected the non-optimal situation at the wellbore servicing site.

8. The wellbore servicing method of claim 7, wherein the non-optimal situation at the wellbore servicing site is the formation of ice in the pressurized pneumatic line.

9. The wellbore servicing method of claim 7, wherein the pneumatic line deicing system is connected in parallel with the pressurized pneumatic line.

10. The wellbore servicing method of claim 7, wherein the deicing fluid comprises alcohol, methanol, ethylene glycol, or combinations thereof.