Drill cuttings composite core manufacturing method and apparatus

Abstract

A drill cuttings composite core apparatus, system, and method that may utilize sieve shaker equipped with a solvent wash system to separate, clean, and size cuttings, a centrifugal mill equipped with a 12 tooth rotor and 1.0 mm ring sieve, a compactor mold that may be 1.5 inches in diameter and up to 6 inches long, dual piston compactor with independent air control valves, and a spacer on top of a bottom piston that allow compacted core to be pushed up through top of mold for easy removal with no special tools or handling.

Claims

1. A method of creating a drill cuttings composite artificial core sample comprising the steps: drilling a well; collecting drill cuttings from said drilling; utilizing a sieve shaker to separate said drill cuttings to a uniform size of said drill cuttings; utilizing a sieving stack to separate coarser cutting from said uniform cuttings creating a composite; utilizing a centrifugal mill to recombine said composite forming a composite core material; placing said composite core material in a mold having a top and bottom; placing said mold in a piston compactor having a top piston for applying downward pressure on said composite core material and bottom piston for applying upward pressure to said composite core material; and forming said drill cuttings composite artificial core sample by said applying downward pressure on said composite core material and said applying upward pressure to said composite core material.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PICTORIAL ILLUSTRATIONS, GRAPHS, DRAWINGS, AND APPENDICES

(1) The invention will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed pictorial illustrations, graphs, drawings, and appendices wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 is a general illustration of a preferred embodiment of the invention.

(3) FIG. 2 is a general illustration of a preferred embodiment of the invention.

(4) FIG. 3 is a general illustration of a preferred embodiment of the invention.

(5) FIG. 4 is a general illustration of a preferred embodiment of the invention.

(6) FIG. 5 is a general illustration of a preferred embodiment of the invention.

(7) FIG. 6 is a general illustration of a preferred embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(8) Referring to the illustrations, drawings, and pictures, reference character 10 generally designates a new and improved drill cuttings composite core apparatus, system, and method of using same in accordance with the present invention. Invention 10 is generally used in conjunction with well fracturing for the retrieval of hydrocarbons below the surface. It is contemplated that invention 10 may be utilized for other well applications other than hydrocarbon retrieval such as but not limited to water retrieval.

(9) Referring to the illustrations and FIG. 1 in particular, invention 10 may utilize a sieve shaker 20 equipped with a solvent wash system 30 to separate, clean, and size cuttings so that the cuttings are suitable for compaction into an artificial core. The preferred embodiment utilizes a sieve shaker P1 setting, amplitude of 2.5 and a time of 5 minutes for cleaning. For drill cuttings where oil-based mud was utilized during the drilling process, the preferred embodiment of the invention utilizes xylene as the primary wash and isopropyl alcohol as a secondary wash. The solvent system and mechanical apparatus allow for the least penetration of fluid into the cuttings making the cuttings most suitable for creating composite core.

(10) The invention preferred embodiment utilizes a sieve or sieving stack 35 that targets separation of coarser cuttings material as coarser materials are least contaminated by the drilling fluids, which adversely affects suitability of the cuttings for making a composite core. A preferred embodiment uses sieve stack 35 of size numbers 12, 14, 18, and 40 sieves. In a preferred embodiment, a mass ratio of 25% number 40 sieved cuttings, 25% number 18 sieved cuttings, 25% number 14 sieved cuttings, and 25% number 12 sieved cuttings are collected and recombined for making composite core. This may ensure that an adequate amount of natural binder present in the rock is available for compacting into core. The cleaned, sieved, recombined by mass ratio cuttings may be placed in an oven to dry overnight.

(11) Referring to the illustrations and FIG. 2 in particular, invention 10 may have a preferred embodiment utilizing a centrifugal mill 40 equipped with a 12 tooth rotor and 1.0 mm ring sieve. The cleaned, dried, sieved, recombined by mass ratio cuttings are fed into the centrifugal mill 40. In a preferred embodiment, the centrifugal mill 40 is set to operate at 18,000 rpm. After milling, the cleaned, dried, sieved, recombined by mass ratio cuttings are now adequately prepared for compaction into composite core. Methods and apparatus described above explain how sample preparation flaws in the prior art have been solved by the invention.

(12) Referring to the illustrations and FIG. 3 in particular, invention 10 may have a preferred embodiment, which utilizes a compactor mold 50 that may be 1.5 inches in diameter and up to 6 inches long. This solves the flaw in prior art that does not produce core that is suitable industry accepted core flood apparatus. For example, 57 grams of cuttings prepared by the preferred invention embodiment results in a composite core that is 1.5 inches in diameter and 1 inch long. 171 grams of cuttings prepared by the preferred invention embodiment results in a composite core that is 1.5 inches in diameter and 3 inches long.

(13) Referring to the illustrations and FIG. 4 in particular, invention 10 may utilize a dual piston compactor 60 having a bottom piston 80 and a top piston 85 with independent air control valves that exerts downward and or upward force or pressure from both top and bottom on the cuttings during compaction. This dual direction of force (which may be controlled by PLC) causes air that is trapped in between the cuttings' particles to flow in a controlled manner causing the air and any fine particles swept with the compressed air to be compacted exactly in the same manner and at the same location in each composite core manufactured. The preferred dual piston compactor 60 force embodiment solves the random distribution of air and fine particles flaw present in prior art. This in turn allows the invention 10 to create composite core with reproducible porosity, permeability, and mineral distribution that prior art is not capable of providing.

(14) Invention 10 dual force piston compactor 60 may utilize a preferred embodiment compacting time of 15 seconds at 10,000 PSI. Thus, the invention 10 allows for hundreds to thousands of composite cores to be manufactured for experimentation, which solves the hour and half per core limitation of prior art. The invention 10 may have a preferred embodiment that can allow core to be manufactured that is much higher in porosity and permeability while maintaining physical integrity, which is an advantage over prior art limitations.

(15) Referring to the illustrations and FIGS. 3, 5 and 6 in particular, invention 10 utilizes a spacer 70 on top of a bottom piston 80. This allows a compacted core 75 to be pushed up through a top opening 55 of the mold 50 for easy removal with no special tools or handling, which is a limitation of prior art. It is contemplated to place mold 50 bottom opening 65 on bottom piston 80 before loading with the cuttings.

(16) Invention 10 contemplates providing a reproducible manufacture of composite core from drill cuttings with regard to porosity, permeability, and mineral distribution perspectives; high speed and volume manufacturing of composite core suitable for use in industry accepted core flood experimental apparatus; control of composite core porosity and permeability based on compacting time and compacting force; manufacturing of composite core from drill cuttings without use of any artificial binder that would otherwise contaminate the rock geochemistry; a composite core that can also be made with cuttings saturated to varied concentrations with native brine pore water; and a composite core that can also be made with cuttings saturated to varied concentrations with native oil.

(17) Invention 10 may be a method of creating a drill cuttings composite artificial core sample comprising the steps: drilling a well; collecting drill cuttings from said drilling; utilizing a sieve shaker with a solvent wash system to separate said drill cuttings to a uniform size of said drill cuttings; washing said uniform cuttings of said drill cuttings; utilizing a sieving stack to separate coarser cutting from said uniform cuttings creating a composite; utilizing a centrifugal mill to recombine said composite forming a composite core material; drying said composite core material; placing said composite core material in a mold having a top and bottom; placing said mold in a piston compactor having a top piston for applying downward pressure on said composite core material and bottom piston for applying upward pressure to said composite core material; and forming said drill cuttings composite artificial core sample by said applying downward pressure on said composite core material and said applying upward pressure to said composite core material.

(18) Changes may be made in the combinations, operations, and arrangements of the various parts and elements described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Furthermore, names, titles, headings, and general division of the aforementioned are provided for convenience and should, therefore, not be considered limiting.