Methods and systems for removing drilling fluid from wet drill cuttings are described. The methods may comprise: at a pressure above atmospheric pressure: separating air into constituent nitrogen and oxygen gases; heating a first mixture comprising the constituent oxygen gas with a mixture of air and natural gas to a combustion temperature, to produce a first combustion exhaust; transferring heat from the first combustion exhaust to a second mixture comprising the constituent nitrogen gas and non-condensable inert gas, thereby heating the second mixture to a first temperature; providing the heated second mixture to the wet drill cuttings to contact and directly heat the wet drill cuttings by convection so that at least a portion of drilling fluid is evaporated therefrom and at least some dry solid drill cuttings remain; condensing the evaporated drilling fluid to produce condensed drilling fluid; and separately recovering condensed drilling fluid and dry solid drill cuttings.

A system is disclosed for detecting a problem associated with a drilling operation based on the properties of a formation cutting. The system can include a camera for generating an image of the formation cutting extracted from a subterranean formation. The system can include one or more sensors for detecting one or more characteristics of the subterranean formation or a well tool. The system can provide the image as input to a first model for determining one or more properties of the formation cutting based on the image. The system can provide the one or more properties and the one or more characteristics as input to a second model for detecting a downhole problem associated with the drilling operation. The system can transmit an alert indicating the downhole problem and optionally a recommended solution to a user.

A drilling system for drilling a borehole. The drilling system includes a drilling fluid pump operable to circulate fluid through the borehole and a fluid analysis system to analyze returned fluid from the borehole. The fluid analysis system includes a sensor system, a recirculation system, and a control system in electronic communication with the drilling fluid pump and the recirculation system. The sensor system is operable to measure one or more properties of the returned fluid. The recirculation system includes a pump and controllable valves and is operable to control flow of the returned fluid through the fluid analysis system.

A drilling system for drilling a borehole. The drilling system includes a drilling fluid pump operable to circulate fluid through the borehole and a fluid analysis system to analyze returned fluid from the borehole. The fluid analysis system includes a sensor system, a recirculation system, and a control system in electronic communication with the drilling fluid pump and the recirculation system. The sensor system is operable to measure one or more properties of the returned fluid. The recirculation system includes a pump and controllable valves and is operable to control flow of the returned fluid through the fluid analysis system.

In accordance with presently disclosed embodiments, systems and methods for determining the amount of bulk material being choke-fed into an inlet of a blender from one or more bulk material containers placed on a support structure are disclosed. The system includes sensors placed on the support structure beneath the one or more containers for determining the amount of bulk material contained within the container at any given time. By monitoring the change in the mass of the material in the containers overtime the amount of material being fed into the blender can be determined. The material is metered into a mixer within the blender using a metering mechanism, such as a sand screw, which supplies a fixed capacity of bulk material into the blender. The ability to precisely measure the amount of bulk material being choke-fed into the blender enables operators to calibrate the sand screw continuously.

A method for estimating a parameter relating to solids recovered from a wellbore may include drilling a wellbore using a bottomhole assembly; conveying solids in the wellbore to a surface location using a drilling fluid; separating the drilling fluid from the solids using at least one shaker; conveying the separated solids by using a conveyor; and continuously dropping the solids into a solids evaluator positioned vertically above the dryer. The solids evaluator includes a chute having a vertically aligned bore in which the dropped solids reach a constant velocity, a sensor assembly generating a microwave field in a section of the chute where the dropped solids have the constant velocity, and a control unit in signal communication with the sensor assembly. The control unit estimates a mass flow rate of the solids based on the generated signals. The method may further include generating the signals representative of a mass flow rate of the dropped solids using the sensor assembly and using the control unit to estimate the mass flow rate of the solids based on the generated signals.

A system for separating components from a slurry of drilling fluid and drill cuttings on a shaker screen having an upper side and a lower side within a shaker. The system also has a pressure differential generator to pull an effective volume of air through a section of the shaker screen to enhance the flow of drilling fluid through the section of the shaker screen and the separation of drilling fluid from drill cuttings and further maintain an effective flow of drill cuttings off the shaker. A method of separating components of a slurry of drilling fluids and solids has the steps of delivering the slurry to a shaker, flowing the slurry over a first screen and applying an effective amount of vacuum to a first portion of the first screen to remove the drilling fluids from the slurry without stalling the solids on the first screen.

A system for removing debris from a drill hole, the system comprising a drill rod, a first lumen extending through the drill rod, and a second lumen extending parallel to the first lumen; a drill bit for mounting to the drill rod, the drill bit being configured to form the drill hole; at least one air channel extending between the proximal end of the drill bit and the distal end of the drill bit, the at least one air channel being configured to be fluidically connected to the first lumen of the drill rod; at least one vacuum channel extending between the proximal end of the drill bit and the distal end of the drill bit, the at least one vacuum channel being configured to be fluidically connected to the second lumen of the drill rod; and a container fluidically connected to the second lumen of the drill rod.

A modified high density brine for use in subterranean drilling and completion operations. The modified high density brine includes a heavy brine and the addition of high density particles. The resultant modified high density brine eliminates the need for toxic, corrosive, and costly ZrBr.sub.2 or cesium formate additions or other ionic additives to boost the density of the modified high density brine to more than 14 lbs./gallon.

An automated hydraulic fracturing system, including a pump system, a blender configured to form the fracturing fluid, a proppant storage and delivery system, a hydration unit configured to mix an additive into a fluid to form the fluid mixture and provide the fluid mixture to the blender, a fluid storage and delivery system, and an additive storage and delivery system, and an automated control system including a plurality of sensing devices and a plurality of control devices integrated into the pump system, the blender system, the proppant storage and delivery system, the fluid storage and delivery system, and the additive storage and delivery system, the automated control system configured to monitor parameters of the automated hydraulic fracturing system via the plurality of sensing devices and transmit control instructions for one or more of the plurality of control devices to control an aspect of the automated hydraulic fracturing system.