Drilling waste management system

• US 8,528,665 B2
• Filed: 10/01/2010
• Issued: 09/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: M-I LLC (SLB)
• Original Assignee: M-I LLC (SLB)
• Inventors: Jackson, Dennis, Gillis, Fredrick, White, Jason
• Primary Examiner(s): Wright, Giovanna
• Assistant Examiner(s): ALKER, RICHARD K
• Application Number:
  US12/896,461
• Publication Number:
  US 20120080185A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,075 Days
• Field of Search: 175/66, 175/206, 175/207, 210/104, 210/170.01, 210/241, 210/253, 210/360.1, 210/744, 210/747.1, 210/781, 494/31, 494/32
• US Class Current: 175/66
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 21/262 by using a centrifuge
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2221/04 Separation devices for treating liquids from earth drilling, mining
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 21/065 Separating solids from drilling fluids

Abstract

A mobile drilling waste management system including a trailer having at least one centrifuge and a solids catch tank receiving solids separated from drilling fluid by one or more of the centrifuges. And a method of reclaiming drilling fluid including pumping drilling fluid contaminated with solids onto a trailer, separating the contaminant solids from the drilling fluid with at least one centrifuge located on the trailer, directing the contaminant solids to a solids catch tank located on the trailer, and pumping the drilling fluid off of the trailer.

Claims

1. A mobile drilling waste management system comprising:

a trailer, the trailer comprising;

an inlet configured to receive fluids from a drilling rig;

at least one centrifuge in fluid communication with the inlet, wherein the at least one centrifuge comprises a first centrifuge and a second centrifuge;

a solids catch tank, the solids catch tank receiving solids separated by one or more of the centrifuges;

an outlet in fluid communication with one or more of the centrifuges;

a slurry tank, the slurry tank receiving a liquid effluent from the second centrifuge; and

a solids switch capable of directing solids separated by the first centrifuge to either the solids catch tank or the slurry tank.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the trailer further comprises:

at least one effluent tank receiving a liquid effluent from the first centrifuge;

a piping assembly for directing fluid to the second centrifuge, the piping assembly configured to direct either fluid from the inlet or effluent tank to the second centrifuge; and

a feed pump configured to feed fluid directed by the piping assembly to the second centrifuge.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the effluent tank comprises an overflow in fluid communication with the slurry tank.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein the effluent tank comprises a liquid level monitor electrically connected to a programmable logic controller.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the trailer further comprises:

an effluent pump configured to pump fluid from the slurry tank to the outlet.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the trailer further comprises:

a first feed pump configured to feed fluid from the inlet to the first centrifuge.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the trailer further comprises a programmable logic controller electrically connected to one or more of the centrifuges.

8. The system of claim 1 further comprising a dewatering system comprising:

one or more mixers positioned on the trailer upstream from one or more of the centrifuges; and

a dewatering solution pump in fluid communication with the mixers, wherein the dewatering solution pump is configured to add dewatering chemicals to the drilling fluids upstream from one or more of the centrifuges.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the solids catch tank comprises an opening configured to allow vehicles to enter the solids catch tank.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the solids catch tank comprises a liquid barrier.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the trailer further comprises a pump room enclosing one or more pumps.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the pump room further comprises a heater.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein the trailer further comprises a raised platform supporting at least one of the first and second centrifuges.

14. The system of claim 1 wherein the trailer further comprises a warning alarm electrically connected to a programmable logic controller.

15. The system of claim 1 wherein slurry tank and an effluent tank further comprise a heating coil.

16. The system of claim 1 further comprising one or more static mixers positioned upstream from at least one of the centrifuges.

17. A method of reclaiming drilling fluid comprising:

pumping drilling fluid contaminated with solids onto a trailer;

separating at least a portion of the solids from the drilling fluid with at least one first centrifuge and one second centrifuge located on the trailer;

directing the separated solids to a solids catch tank located on the trailer; and

pumping the drilling fluid off of the trailer;

wherein during the step of pumping said drilling fluid contaminated with solids onto the trailer, the trailer comprises;

an inlet configured to receive fluids from a drilling rig;

the first centrifuge in fluid communication with the inlet;

an effluent tank receiving a liquid effluent from the first centrifuge;

a piping assembly configured to direct either fluid from the inlet or effluent tank to the second centrifuge;

a slurry tank, the slurry tank receiving a liquid effluent from the second centrifuge;

the solids catch tank receiving solids separated by the second centrifuge;

a solids switch capable of directing a solid separated by the first centrifuge to either the solids catch tank or the slurry tank; and

a programmable logic controller;

separating solids from the drilling fluid in the first centrifuge and the second centrifuge;

discarding the solids from the second centrifuge into the solids catch tank;

directing effluent fluid from the first centrifuge to the effluent tank;

directing effluent fluid from the second centrifuge to the slurry tank; and

pumping fluid from the slurry tank to an outlet positioned on the trailer.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the method further comprises the step of:

allowing fluid in the effluent tank to overflow into the slurry tank.

19. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

controlling whether the piping assembly will direct fluid from the inlet or the effluent tank to the second centrifuge.

20. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

pumping drilling fluid to the first centrifuge;

separating the drilling fluid in the first centrifuge into a first solids fraction and a first effluent fluid;

directing the first solids fraction to the slurry tank;

directing the first effluent fluid to the effluent tank;

pumping drilling fluid from the effluent tank to the second centrifuge;

separating the drilling fluid into a second solids fraction and a second effluent fluid in the second centrifuge; and

mixing the second effluent fluid and the first solids fraction in the slurry tank.

21. The method of claim 20 further comprising:

measuring the fluid level in the effluent tank; and

controlling the fluid level in the effluent tank by regulating the flow of fluid to the second centrifuge.

22. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

pumping drilling fluid from the inlet to both the first centrifuge and the second centrifuge;

separating the drilling fluid into a first solids fraction and a first effluent fluid in the first centrifuge;

separating the drilling fluid into a second solids fraction and a second effluent fluid in the second centrifuge;

directing the first solids fraction and the second solids fraction to the solids catch tank;

directing the first effluent fluid to the effluent tank;

directing the second effluent fluid to the slurry tank;

overflowing fluid from the effluent tank to the slurry tank; and

pumping fluid from the slurry tank to the outlet positioned on the trailer.

23. The method of claim 22 further comprising:

measuring the inlet flow rate of the drilling fluid pumped onto the trailer; and

pumping fluid from the slurry tank to the outlet at essentially the same flow rate as the inlet flow rate.

24. The method of claim 17 further comprising mixing dewatering chemicals with the drilling fluid upstream from at least one of the centrifuges.

25. The method of claim 17 further comprising positioning the trailer adjacent the shakers of a drilling rig and directing solids separated by one of the shakers to the solids catch tank on the trailer.