Transportable systems for treating drilling fluid

• US 8,133,164 B2
• Filed: 01/14/2008
• Issued: 03/13/2012
• 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: Beebe, Randy Charles, Crosswhite, Donald Tracey, Kellert, Larry Jona, Tait, James Joseph, Bird, Dean Mitchell
• Primary Examiner(s): Cooley, Charles E
• Application Number:
  US12/008,980
• Publication Number:
  US 20090178978A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,520 Days
• Field of Search: 494 31- 32, 494/42, 210/521, 210/523, 210/533, 210/536, 210200-202
• US Class Current: 494/31
• 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.

Claims

1. A transportable system for well fluid treatment, comprising:

a base,

a support structure on the base,

a removable brace apparatus that is adapted for bracing the support structure during movement of the system, wherein the removable brace apparatus is adapted to be releasably secured to the support structure and to the base during movement of the system,

at least one holding tank on the base that is adapted for receiving a mixture of well fluid and solids to be treated from an active rig well fluid system,

a centrifuge apparatus that is adapted for centrifuging the mixture of well fluid and solids from the at least one holding tank to produce a reusable component of the well fluid,

a first pump apparatus that is adapted for pumping well fluid and solids from the at least one holding tank to the centrifuge apparatus, and a centrifuge support on the base that is adapted for supporting the centrifuge apparatus.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a mixing tank comprising a mixing apparatus that is adapted for mixing materials in an aqueous solution for introduction to well fluid in the at least one holding tank, and

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

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the mixing tank comprising the mixing apparatus is adapted for mixing and the second pump apparatus is adapted for pumping materials in an aqueous solution comprising at least one of a flocculant and a coagulant.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein the at least one holding tank comprises a first holding tank, and a second holding tank adjacent the first holding tank, wherein the second pump apparatus is adapted for pumping the materials in aqueous solution into the first holding tank, and the first holding tank is adapted for receiving the mixture of well fluid and solids to be treated.

5. The system of claim 4 further comprising a water flow control apparatus that is adapted to control a flow of water from the second holding tank to the first holding tank.

6. The system of claim 5 further comprising a third pump apparatus that is adapted for pumping water from the first holding tank.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the third pump apparatus is adapted for pumping the water from the first holding tank to one of the active rig well fluid system and storage.

8. The system of claim 1 further comprising a raising apparatus connected to the centrifuge support, wherein the raising apparatus is adapted for raising the centrifuge support and the centrifuge apparatus to a desired height.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the raising apparatus is further adapted for vertically raising the centrifuge support.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein the raising apparatus comprises a hydraulically powered piston apparatus that is adapted for raising the centrifuge support.

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

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the centrifuge apparatus is adapted for producing an overflow of cleaned well fluid for feed back to the active rig well fluid system and an underflow of drilled solids.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein the centrifuge apparatus comprises a plurality of centrifuges that are each adapted for processing the mixture of well fluid and solids from the at least one holding tank.

14. The system of claim 1 wherein the centrifuge apparatus is adapted for producing an underflow comprising recovered barite solids for feed to the active rig well fluid system and an overflow for feed to the at least one holding tank.

15. The system of claim 14 further comprising a jet line that is adapted 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 transportable system for well fluid treatment, comprising:

a base,

a support structure on the base,

a removable brace apparatus that is adapted for bracing the support structure during movement of the system, wherein the removable brace apparatus is adapted to be releasably secured to the support structure and to the base during movement of the system,

at least one holding tank on the base that is adapted for receiving a mixture of well fluid and drilling solids to be treated from an active rig well fluid system,

a centrifuge apparatus that is adapted for centrifuging the mixture of well fluid and solids from the at least one holding tank to produce reusable drilling solids,

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

a centrifuge support on the base that is adapted for supporting the centrifuge apparatus,

a mixing tank comprising a mixing apparatus that is adapted for mixing materials in an aqueous solution comprising at least one of a flocculant and a coagulant for introduction to well fluid in the at least one holding tank, and

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