Reclamation of components of wellbore cuttings material

• US 8,533,974 B2
• Filed: 10/23/2012
• Issued: 09/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Varco I/P Incorporated (NOV, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Varco I/P Incorporated (NOV, Inc.)
• Inventors: Burnett, George Alexander
• Primary Examiner(s): Gravini, Steve M
• Application Number:
  US13/658,269
• Publication Number:
  US 20130067762A1
• Time in Patent Office: 329 Days
• Field of Search: 343/59, 345/76, 345/79, 345/80, 345/86, 345/91, 34/61, 341/02, 166/45, 166/60, 166/302, 166/303, 964/01, 964/02, 175/66, 175/206, 100/45, 100/117
• US Class Current: 34/579
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 21/066 with further treatment of the solids, e.g. for disposal
• CPC Class Codes: F26B 7/00 Drying solid materials or objects by processes using a combination of processes not covered by a single one of groups F26B3/00 and F26B5/00 F26B1/005, F26B5/04, F26B23/026 take precedence

Abstract

The present disclosure is generally directed to systems that are used for reclaiming components of wellbore cuttings material. In one illustrative embodiment, a system is disclosed that includes, among other things, a dryer that is adapted to receive a drill cuttings mixture that includes drilling fluid and cuttings material, the dryer being further adapted to treat the drill cuttings mixture by drying the cuttings material below a preselected moisture content level. The system also includes a moisture sensor that is adapted to sense a moisture content of the cuttings material after it is dried by the dryer, and a cuttings reinjection system that is adapted to reinject the dried cuttings material into a well bore. Additionally, the system includes a conveyor system that is adapted to convey the dried cuttings material to the cuttings reinjection system, wherein the conveyor system includes, among other things, a positive pressure pneumatic conveying apparatus.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a dryer that is adapted to receive a drill cuttings mixture comprising drilling fluid and cuttings material, said dryer being further adapted to treat said drill cuttings mixture by drying said cuttings material below a preselected moisture content level;

a moisture sensor that is adapted to sense a moisture content of said cuttings material after said cuttings material is dried by said dryer;

a cuttings reinjection system that is adapted to reinject said cuttings material dried by said dryer into a well bore; and

a conveyor system that is adapted to convey said cuttings material dried by said dryer to said cuttings reinjection system, said conveyor system comprising a positive pressure pneumatic conveying apparatus.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said conveyor system further comprises a cuttings diversion apparatus that is adapted to divert said cuttings material dried by said dryer away from said positive pressure pneumatic conveying apparatus when said moisture content of said cuttings material sensed by said moisture sensor exceeds said preselected moisture content level.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said cuttings diversion apparatus comprises a reversible conveyor.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said reversible conveyor is adapted to convey said cuttings material dried by said dryer to said positive pressure pneumatic conveying apparatus when said moisture content of said cuttings material sensed by said moisture sensor is below said preselected moisture content level.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said dryer is further adapted to produce a drilling fluid mixture comprising some solids material from said drill cuttings mixture, the system further comprising a holding system that is adapted to receive a flow of said drilling fluid mixture from said dryer.

6. The system of claim 5, further comprising a drilling mud system that is adapted to receive a flow of said drilling fluid mixture from said holding system.

7. The system of claim 5, further comprising a centrifuge that is adapted to receive a flow of said drilling fluid mixture from said holding system and to produce centrifuged solids and centrifuged drilling fluid.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said centrifuge is further adapted to return a flow of said centrifuged drilling fluid to said holding system.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising a thermal treatment system, wherein said positive pressure pneumatic conveying apparatus is further adapted to convey at least a portion of said cuttings material dried by said dryer to said thermal treatment system.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said thermal treatment system is adapted to further treat said at least said portion of said cuttings material received from said positive pressure pneumatic conveying apparatus and to feed said further treated cuttings material to said cuttings reinjection system.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising a primary control system that is adapted to control said conveyor system.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising a mixer system that is adapted to receive a feed of said cuttings material dried by said dryer from said conveyor system and generate a feed of mixed material to said cuttings reinjection system, wherein said primary control system is adapted to adjust a rate of said feed of said cuttings material by said conveyor system to said mixer system.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said mixer system comprises a density meter that is adapted to measure a density of said mixed material generated by said mixer system.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising a secondary control system that is adapted to provide said measured density of said mixed material generated by said mixer system from said density meter to said primary control system.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein said secondary control system is further adapted to control said cuttings reinjection system.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein said mixer system comprises first mixing stage equipment, said first mixing stage equipment comprising a first tank, a first agitator, and a blender.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein said mixer system further comprises second mixing stage equipment, said second mixing stage equipment comprising a second tank and a second agitator.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein said mixer system further comprises a plurality of circulation pumps.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein said dryer is adapted to reduce a size of material pieces comprising said cuttings material.

20. A system, comprising:

a dryer that is adapted to receive a drill cuttings mixture comprising drilling fluid and cuttings material, said dryer being further adapted to treat said drill cuttings mixture by drying said cuttings material below a preselected moisture content level and producing a drilling fluid mixture comprising some solids material from said drill cuttings mixture;

a moisture sensor that is adapted to sense a moisture content of said cuttings material dried by said dryer;

a cuttings reinjection system that is adapted to reinject said cuttings material dried by said dryer into a well bore;

a conveyor system comprising a reversible conveyor and a positive pressure pneumatic conveying apparatus that is adapted to convey said cuttings material dried by said dryer from said reversible conveyor to said cuttings reinjection system;

a holding system that is adapted to receive a flow of said drilling fluid mixture from said dryer; and

a centrifuge that is adapted to receive a flow of said drilling fluid mixture from said holding system and to produce centrifuged solids and centrifuged drilling fluid.

21. The system of claim 20, further comprising:

a primary control system that is adapted to control said conveyor system; and

a mixer system that is adapted to receive a feed of said cuttings material dried by said dryer from said conveyor system and generate a feed of mixed material to said cuttings reinjection system, wherein said primary control system is adapted to adjust a rate of said feed of said cuttings material by said conveyor system to said mixer system.