Systems and methods for determining the composition of a drilling fluid using electro-rheology.

This disclosure provides a pre-mixed lost circulation treatment that can be pre-mixed ahead of time at a plant and delivered to a drilling site in one or more transport containers because the pre-mixture having a shelf life of at least one month and possibly longer. Because the components of the lost circulation treatment are mixed at a controlled mix site, the consistency of the lost circulation treatment is improved and can be better maintained from one lost circulation treatment to another. Further, one or more of the components of the pre-mixed treatment can be placed in a portable tote container that can be quickly and easily transported to the drilling site upon demand, or the tote can be delivered to the drilling site before a lost circulation zone is actually encountered.

Methods and systems for removing contaminants, such as water and/or carbon dioxide, from a gas stream, such as a natural gas stream or a flue gas stream. One or more solid-tolerant heat exchangers are employed to chill the gas stream to a temperature at which the contaminants solidify. The solidified contaminants may then be separated and removed from the gas stream. In one or more aspects, the one or more solid-tolerant heat exchangers may include a scraped heat exchanger.

A system for using a heated portable vacuum slurry box to efficiently store and transport material including drill cuttings from gas and oil well sites. The slurry box generally includes a vacuum tank, a structure attached to the tank, a vertical tailgate, and a hook for pulling the slurry box onto a vehicle. The features allow for the slurry box to meet space restriction requirements at a well site while functioning within the environmental conditions of winter and summer seasons. The system includes a preferred method to unload the slurry box.

A very light weight, noncompressible drilling fluid including a very light weight hydrocarbon base liquid, and a styrenic butadiene diblock copolymer is heated to achieve excellent rheology including thixotropicity, making an effective drilling fluid with a density of 8 pounds per gallon or less. Densities as low as 4 pounds per gallon are achieved with the addition of glass bubbles. The glass bubbles may, but normally will not, exceed 50% by volume. A method of making the drilling fluid includes passing the light weight liquid and the copolymer through a cavitation device. The invention includes drilling and with and recirculating the fluid to maintain the desired density, viscosity and rheology by adjusting the ingredients accordingly. A method of managed pressure drilling employs the novel fluid, enabling control of drill pressure and physical properties of the fluid including equivalent circulating density.

A shaker assembly and method, of which the shaker assembly includes a shaker tank, a mixing tank in fluid communication with the shaker tank and positioned adjacent thereto, an overflow weir positioned between and separating the shaker tank and the mixing tank, a first shaker positioned over the shaker tank, and a second shaker. The first and second shakers are configured to operate in parallel to partially separate a solid from a liquid of a drilling waste fluid. During normal operation, at least some of the liquid flows from the first and second shakers to the shaker tank, and from the shaker tank over the overflow weir and into the mixing tank.

A vibrator separator system has a vibrator separator position and a vibratory basket, a screen assembly positioned in the vibratory separator, and a vibration amplifier coupled to the vibratory separator. The vibratory basket has sides arranged in spaced relation to each other. The vibratory separator has at least one motor affixed thereto. The screen assembly extends between an inlet end and a discharge end of the vibratory basket. The motor is cooperative with the screen assembly so as to impart a vibration frequency to the screen assembly. The vibration amplifier is positioned beneath the screen assembly. The vibration amplifier is cooperative with the screen assembly so as to exert a force against a portion of an underside of the screen assembly.

A drilling fluid and method for drilling in a coal containing formation. The method includes: providing a mixed metal-viscosified drilling fluid including at least 1% potassium salt; circulating the drilling fluid through the well; and drilling into a coal seam.

Described herein are methods of treating fluid comprising hydrocarbons, water, and polymer being produced from a hydrocarbon-bearing formation are provided. The method can include adding a concentration of a viscosity reducer to the fluid to degrade the polymer present in the fluid and adding a concentration of a neutralizer to the fluid to neutralize the viscosity reducer in the fluid. The viscosity reducer is buffered at a pH of 7 or less (e.g., at a pH of from 2 to 7, such as at a pH of from 3.5 to 7, or at a pH of from 5 to 7). The addition of the concentration of the viscosity reducer is in a sufficient quantity to allow for complete chemical degradation of the polymer prior to the addition of the concentration of the neutralizer in the fluid such that excess viscosity reducer is present in the fluid. The addition of the concentration of the neutralizer is sufficiently upstream of any surface fluid processing equipment to allow for complete neutralization of the excess viscosity reducer such that excess neutralizer is present in the fluid prior to the fluid reaching any of the surface fluid processing equipment.

A plug and pump system for routing pressurized fluid from a fluid source is disclosed. The system includes a platform and a docking station interface mounted on the platform and including multiple points of articulation. A wellhead interface is mounted on the platform and includes multiple points of articulation. The docking station interface and the wellhead interface are configured to route pressurized fluid from a fluid source.