Automated drilling-fluid additive system and method

Abstract

An automated drilling-fluid additive system and method for on-site real-time analysis and additive treatment of drilling fluid to be directly injected into a well without additional storage or handling. The drilling fluid includes returned drilling fluid intended to be re-used, which has a variety of viscosity and other qualities resulting from its various preceding use. The target drilling fluid will have a variety of viscosity and other qualities depending upon and changing with various phases of drilling operations and various conditions encountered. The drilling fluid is analyzed in real time as it flows into the automated drilling-fluid additive system, and various additives are added to and thoroughly blended with the drilling fluid as needed to achieve the desired result. The blended drilling fluid is collimated to produce a laminar flow and is discharged from the automated drilling-fluid additive system in the proper condition for direct injection into a well without any storage in a holding tank and without any further processing, treatment, or handling.

Claims

1. An automated drilling-fluid additive system for on-site real-time analysis and additive treatment of drilling fluid to be injected into a well, comprising: (i) a container structure adapted to provide for transportation and safety in use; (ii) at least one tote interchangeably mounted near said container structure; (iii) a tote fluid line corresponding to each said tote, adapted to convey additive fluid into said container structure; (iv) a conveyor pipe within said container structure adapted to carry a stream of drilling fluid through the system, having an upstream and downstream orientation; (v) an inlet in said container structure adapted to receive drilling fluid at an upstream end of said conveyor pipe; (vi) an intake pump adapted to draw drilling fluid through said inlet and push the drilling fluid through said conveyor pipe; (vii) an inline diagnostic unit arrayed upon said conveyor pipe adapted to take measurements of flowing drilling fluid in real time; (viii) an expanding additive area of said conveyor pipe downstream of said inline diagnostic unit adapted to create a pressure drop in the flow of drilling fluid, and having an injection opening corresponding to each said tote fluid line; (ix) a blending area of said conveyor pipe downstream of said expanding additive area adapted to provide a turbulent flow of drilling fluid by passage around turbulence vanes; (x) a collimator area of said conveyor pipe downstream of said blending area adapted to provide a laminar flow of blended drilling fluid; (xi) an outlet in said conveyor pipe downstream of said collimator area adapted to discharge a laminar flow of blended drilling fluid directly for injection into the well without additional storage or handling; (xii) a controller adapted to analyze data received from said inline diagnostic unit via a diagnostic-unit connector, and to control the addition of additives based on such analysis; (xiii) a flow-control valve corresponding to each said tote fluid line and injection opening adapted to control the flow of an additive from each said tote through each said injection opening according to control signals generated by said controller and communicated over a control line; and (xiv) a controller communication unit upon said controller adapted to report operational data to, and receive instructions from, a remote communication unit.

2. The automated drilling-fluid additive system of claim 1, where said container structure further comprises a wheeled trailer.

3. The automated drilling-fluid additive system of claim 1, where said container structure further comprises a shipping container.

4. The automated drilling-fluid additive system of claim 1, where said at least one tote further comprises at least three totes.

5. The automated drilling-fluid additive system of claim 1, where said intake pump further comprises being adapted to provide 150 psi.

6. The automated drilling-fluid additive system of claim 1, where said intake pump further comprises being adapted to sense back pressure and lower the applied pressure in response.

7. The automated drilling-fluid additive system of claim 1, where said intake pump further comprises being adapted to provide additional pressure sufficient to supply an increased flow of blended drilling fluid at said outlet.

8. The automated drilling-fluid additive system of claim 1, where said expanding additive area expands to at least twice the area at said inlet.

9. The automated drilling-fluid additive system of claim 1, where said expanding additive area expands to at least 3 times the area at said inlet.

10. The automated drilling fluid additive system of claim 1, where said collimator area further comprises a gattling-gun-arrangement of tubes.

11. An automated drilling-fluid additive method for on-site real-time analysis and additive treatment of drilling fluid to be injected into a well, comprising: (i) providing an automated drilling-fluid additive system, comprising: (a) a container structure adapted to provide for transportation and safety in use; (b) at least one tote interchangeably mounted near said container structure; (c) a tote fluid line corresponding to each said tote, adapted to convey additive fluid into said container structure; (d) a conveyor pipe within said container structure adapted to carry a stream of drilling fluid through the system, having an upstream and downstream orientation; (e) an inlet in said container structure adapted to receive drilling fluid at an upstream end of said conveyor pipe; (f) an intake pump adapted to draw drilling fluid through said inlet and push the drilling fluid through said conveyor pipe; (g) an inline diagnostic unit arrayed upon said conveyor pipe adapted to take measurements of flowing drilling fluid in real time; (h) an expanding additive area of said conveyor pipe downstream of said inline diagnostic unit adapted to create a pressure drop in the flow of drilling fluid, and having an injection opening corresponding to each said tote fluid line; (i) a blending area of said conveyor pipe downstream of said expanding additive area adapted to provide a turbulent flow of drilling fluid by passage around turbulence vanes; (j) a collimator area of said conveyor pipe downstream of said blending area adapted to provide a laminar flow of blended drilling fluid; (k) an outlet in said conveyor pipe downstream of said collimator area adapted to discharge a laminar flow of blended drilling fluid directly for injection into the well without additional storage or handling; (l) a controller adapted to analyze data received from said inline diagnostic unit via a diagnostic-unit connector, and to control the addition of additives based on such analysis; (m) a flow-control valve corresponding to each said tote fluid line and injection opening adapted to control the flow of an additive from each said tote through each said injection opening according to control signals generated by said controller and communicated over a control line; and (n) a controller communication unit upon said controller adapted to report operational data to, and receive instructions from, a remote communication unit; (ii) providing said automated drilling-fluid additive system with a flow of drilling fluid at said inlet; (iii) providing said automated drilling-fluid additive system with said totes containing additives; (iv) providing said controller with instructions for a target composition of drilling fluid through said controller communication unit; (v) monitoring operations through said controller communication unit; and (vi) providing blended drilling fluid from said outlet for direct injection into the well without additional storage or handling.

12. The automated drilling-fluid additive method of claim 11, where said container structure further comprises a wheeled trailer.

13. The automated drilling-fluid additive method of claim 11, where said container structure further comprises a shipping container.

14. The automated drilling-fluid additive method of claim 11, where said at least one tote further comprises at least three totes.

15. The automated drilling-fluid additive method of claim 11, where said intake pump further comprises being adapted to provide 150 psi.

16. The automated drilling-fluid additive method of claim 11, where said intake pump further comprises being adapted to sense back pressure and lower the applied pressure in response.

17. The automated drilling-fluid additive method of claim 11, where said intake pump further comprises being adapted to provide additional pressure sufficient to supply an increased flow of blended drilling fluid at said outlet.

18. The automated drilling-fluid additive method of claim 11, where said expanding additive area expands to at least twice the area at said inlet.

19. The automated drilling-fluid additive method of claim 11, where said expanding additive area expands to at least 3 times the area at said inlet.

20. The automated drilling fluid additive method of claim 11, where said collimator area further comprises a gattling-gun-arrangement of tubes.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Reference will now be made to the drawings, wherein like parts are designated by like numerals, and wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the automated drilling-fluid additive system and method of the invention in use.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(3) Referring to FIG. 1, the automated drilling-fluid additive system and method 10 is shown schematically, in use in coiled-tubing drilling operations with varying mixtures of fresh and returned drilling fluid supplied and with a smooth laminar flow drilling fluid blended with desired additives provided directly to a high-pressure injection pump for injection into the well.

(4) The automated drilling-fluid additive system and method 10 provides a container structure 30 which provides for transportation, security, and safety in use at a drilling site and movement from site to site. A wheeled trailer-type structure, as shown, or a wheel-less shipping container type structure are appropriate.

(5) Standard totes 31, each containing an additive, are placed on or near the container structure 30 and are connected to the structure by tote fluid lines 32. Each tote can be connected or disconnected for the purpose of replacing an empty tote or connecting totes with a different additive as needed for different phases of operations or different downhole conditions encountered.

(6) A conveyor pipe 5 runs through the container structure 30 and provides a flow path for the drilling fluid, with an inlet 1 at an upstream end and an outlet 9 at a downstream end. In a preferred embodiment, the conveyor pipe 5 is bent to allow a long run of pipe within the container structure 30. The diameter of the conveyor pipe 5 varies, as treated below, but is on average larger than the diameter of the pipes attached at the inlet 1 and outlet 9, and is at no point smaller.

(7) An intake pump 2 located at the inlet 1 draws drilling fluid into the conveyor pipe 5 and pushes the drilling fluid through the conveyor pipe toward the outlet 9. A moderate pressure of approximately 150 psi is appropriate. If the high-pressure injection pump slows enough to place back pressure on the intake pump 2, the intake pump should lessen or stop the flow of drilling fluid through the conveyor pipe 5. In an embodiment, the pressure imparted by the intake pump 2 can be significantly increased in order to meet a high demand for blended drilling fluid at the high-pressure injection pump.

(8) The incoming drilling fluid next passes through an inline diagnostic unit 3 that takes real-time measurements of the flowing drilling fluid, from which measurements the viscosity and other qualities of the incoming drilling fluid can be determined. The instantaneous pressure and rate of flow of incoming drilling fluid is also measured. These measurements are conveyed to a controller 21 via a diagnostic-unit connector 22.

(9) The controller 21 receives and processes instructions through a controller communication unit 25 that communicates with a remote communication unit 26. In a preferred embodiment, the communication is local-area wireless, for communications on-site in locations possibly remote from wireless telephone signals, plus wide-area or telephone wireless for use when a signal is available. The controller 21 can also provide data and status conditions to the remote communication unit 26. Based upon the received instructions for the desired qualities of a resulting blended drilling fluid, the controller 21 processes the data provided by the inline diagnostic unit 3 and determines what additives in what amount need to be added to the incoming drilling fluid, and what rate of flow of additives is appropriate to the instantaneous pressure and rate of flow of incoming drilling fluid.

(10) The incoming drilling fluid then flows into an expanding additive area 3 of the conveyor pipe 5 that has a larger cross-sectional area which creates a pressure drop in the flow of drilling fluid. Injection openings 33 corresponding to the tote fluid lines 32 are provided in the expanding additive area 3. The additives in the totes 31 can flow into the lower-pressure expanding additive area 3 without having to overcome the resisting pressure existing elsewhere in the conveyor pipe 5.

(11) The flow of additives from the totes 31 through the tote fluid lines 32 and injection openings 33 into the expanding additive area 3 is controlled by flow-control valves 24 that are in turn controlled by the controller 21 through control lines 23.

(12) At this point, the additives are not likely to be well blended or mixed with the incoming drilling fluid. The poorly blended mixture then flows into a blending area 6 of the conveyor pipe 5. The blending area 6 has an even larger cross-sectional area which creates another pressure drop. The blending area 6 is provided with turbulence vanes 7 which interrupt any laminar flow and promote turbulent flow which mixes and blends the additives and the drilling fluid.

(13) The now well blended drilling fluid then flows into a collimator area 8 that creates a laminar flow in the blended drilling fluid by passing portions of the fluid through long smaller tubes or passageways. A “gattling gun”-type of tube arrangement is appropriate. Taking care not to reintroduce turbulence, the cross-sectional diameter of the conveyor pipe 5 is reduced to that of the outlet 9 and the pipe connected to the outlet for direct delivery of a laminar flow of blended drilling fluid to the high-pressure pump which injects the blended drilling fluid into the well.

(14) Because the blended drilling fluid discharged from the outlet 9 is completely blended and is in laminar flow without turbulence, no further processing or handling of the outflow, and no further blending or settling of turbulence in a holding tank is necessary, and would instead be detrimental. The blended drilling fluid is provided to the high-pressure injection pump in a laminar flow at a steady moderate pressure.

(15) Many other changes and modifications can be made in the system and method of the present invention without departing from the spirit thereof. I therefore pray that my rights to the present invention be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.