METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR RECOVERING WEIGHTING MATERIAL AND MAKING A WEIGHTED DRILLING FLUID

Abstract

A horizontal centrifuge, method and system of use, recovers weighting materials from a returned drilling fluid slurry. A clean fluid is delivered, through a clean fluid pipe arranged axially at the hub, to solids discharge ports. The clean fluid is directed radially and circumferentially outwardly at the discharge ports for mixing homogeneously with the recovered weighting materials from forming a reconstituted weighted drilling mud. The reconstituted weighted drilling mud can then be delivered to a rig mud tank for use in a drilling operation. In the system, a drilling fluid and low gravity solids, which are separated from the weighting materials in the horizontal centrifuge, being a first centrifuge, are directed to a second centrifuge which is capable of removing the low gravity solids, thereby producing a clean fluid. The clean fluid is recycled to the first centrifuge for delivery through the clean fluid pipe.

Claims

1. A method for recovering weighting materials from a returned drilling fluid slurry, from which large solids have been removed, and forming a reconstituted, weighted drilling fluid therefrom, in a horizontal centrifuge having a rotatable bowl comprising a cylindrical portion and a conical portion having a plurality of circumferentially spaced-apart solids discharge ports at a distal end thereof and a conveyor hub disposed longitudinally within the bowl and supported for rotation therein, the hub supporting a screw conveyor attached therealong for co-rotation with the hub, the method comprising: delivering the returned slurry intermediate the cylindrical portion of the bowl, the slurry comprising at least weighting materials, low gravity solids and a drilling fluid; separating the weighting materials from the slurry in the rotating bowl, the low gravity solids being retained with the drilling fluid for discharge at a proximal end of the cylindrical portion; conveying the separated weighting materials from the cylindrical portion toward the distal end of the conical portion with the screw conveyor for discharge from the solids discharge ports; delivering a clean fluid to the distal end of the conical portion; and distributing the clean fluid radially and circumferentially outwardly toward the discharge ports and the weighting materials, for mixing substantially homogeneously with the weighting materials for forming the reconstituted weighted drilling fluid.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the horizontal centrifuge is housed in a lid and a pan, further comprising: circumferentially distributing the substantially homogeneous reconstituted weighted drilling fluid exiting the discharge ports onto an inner surface of the lid and pan, the reconstituted weighed drilling fluid flowing therealong for discharge to a hopper.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the delivery of the clean fluid and the radial and circumferential distribution thereof comprises: conveying the clean fluid through a clean fluid pipe supported coaxially at the rotating conveyor hub for discharge at the discharge ports.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the delivering the returned drilling fluid slurry comprises: conveying the slurry through a slurry pipe supported coaxially at the rotating conveyor hub for discharge intermediate the cylindrical portion of the bowl.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the slurry pipe extends from the proximal end of the cylindrical portion and terminates intermediate the cylindrical portion and a clean fluid pipe extends concentrically through the slurry pipe from the cylindrical end to the discharge ports at the distal end of the conical portion, forming an annulus therebetween, the method further comprising: delivering the returned drilling mud through the annulus to intermediate the cylindrical portion while delivering the clean fluid through the clean fluid pipe to the discharge ports.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the clean fluid pipe extends into the conical portion, terminating at the discharge ports and a slurry pipe extends concentrically through the clean fluid pipe, terminating intermediate the cylindrical portion distal forming an annulus therebetween, the method further comprising: delivering the returned drilling mud through the slurry pipe to intermediate the cylindrical portion while delivering the clean fluid through the annulus to the distal end of the conical portion and the discharge ports.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising: rotating the bowl at a first rotational speed; and rotating the conveyor hub and screw conveyor at a second rotation speed.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the first rotational speed is different from the second rotational speed.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the horizontal centrifuge is a first centrifuge, comprising: feeding the drilling fluid and retained low gravity solids, discharged from the proximal end of the first centrifuge, to a second centrifuge; operating the second centrifuge at a rotational speed higher than the first centrifuge for separating the low gravity solids from the drilling fluid for forming the clean fluid; and recycling the clean fluid for distribution in the first horizontal centrifuge for forming the weighted drilling fluid.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising: operating the first centrifuge in a range from about 800 rpm to about 1000 rpm; and operating the second centrifuge in a range from about 1500 rpm to about 3000 rpm.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the second centrifuge is a horizontal centrifuge.

12. A horizontal centrifuge having a rotatable bowl housed within a pan and a lid, the bowl comprising a cylindrical portion and a conical portion having a plurality of circumferentially spaced-apart solids discharge ports at a distal end thereof and a conveyor hub disposed longitudinally within the bowl and supported for rotation therein, the hub supporting a screw conveyor attached therealong for co-rotation therewith for separating weighting materials from drilling fluid and low gravity solids from a returned weighted drilling fluid slurry, the weighting materials being recovered therein for mixing with a clean fluid for forming a reconstituted, weighted drilling mud, the centrifuge comprising: a slurry pipe extending axially through the conveyor hub for delivering the slurry intermediate the cylindrical portion, rotation of the bowl causing the slurry to be separated into a drilling fluid containing the low gravity solids and the weighting materials, the drilling fluid and low gravity solids being discharged from a proximal end of the cylindrical portion, rotation of the screw conveyor causing the weighting materials to be conveyed to the discharge ports; a clean fluid pipe extending axially through the conveyor hub for discharging a clean fluid at the discharge ports, wherein clean fluid discharged from the clean fluid pipe is distributed radially and circumferentially outwardly therefrom for mixing substantially homogeneously with the discharging weighting materials for forming the reconstituted, weighted drilling fluid.

13. The horizontal centrifuge of claim 12, wherein a bore of the clean fluid pipe extends coaxially within the slurry pipe from a proximal end of the cylindrical portion and forming an annulus therebetween, the slurry pipe terminating intermediate the cylindrical portion of the bowl and the clean fluid pipe terminating at a distal end of the conical portion adjacent the solids discharge ports.

14. The centrifugal separator of claim 13, wherein the slurry is conveyed in the annulus for delivery intermediate the cylindrical portion.

15. The centrifugal separator of claim 12, wherein the slurry pipe is arranged coaxially within a bore of the clean fluid pipe from a distal end of the conical portion and forming an annulus therebetween, the clean fluid pipe terminating adjacent the solids discharge ports and the slurry pipe terminating intermediate the cylindrical portion.

16. The centrifugal separator of claim 15, wherein the clean fluid is conveyed in the annulus for delivery adjacent the solids discharge ports.

17. The horizontal centrifuge of claim 12 further comprising a baffle plate operatively connected to the hub for rotation therewith and spaced axially from a discharge end of the clean fluid pipe, wherein clean fluid axially exiting from the discharge end of the clean fluid pipe is caused to be directed radially outwardly toward the solids discharge ports for distribution radially and substantially circumferentially at the discharge ports during rotation of the hub.

18. The centrifugal separator of claim 12 further comprising a hopper, fluidly connected to the pan, for collecting the homogeneously mixed weighted drilling fluid discharged from the solids discharge ports for delivery to a rig mud tank therefrom.

19. A system for recovering at least weighting materials from a returned drilling fluid slurry and for forming a reconstituted weighted drilling fluid therewith, the system comprising: a first horizontal centrifuge having a rotatable bowl housed within a pan and a lid, the bowl comprising a cylindrical portion and a conical portion having a plurality of circumferentially spaced-apart solids discharge ports at a distal end thereof and a conveyor hub disposed longitudinally within the bowl and supported for rotation therein, the hub supporting a screw conveyor attached therealong for co-rotation with the hub, for separating at least weighting materials from the drilling fluid and low gravity solids from the returned weighted drilling fluid slurry, the weighting materials being recovered therein for mixing with a clean fluid for forming a reconstituted, weighted drilling mud, the centrifuge comprising: a slurry pipe extending axially at the conveyor hub for delivering the slurry intermediate the cylindrical portion, rotation of the bowl causing the slurry to be separated into the drilling fluid containing the low gravity solids and the weighting materials, the drilling fluid and the low gravity solids being discharged from a proximal end of the cylindrical portion, rotation of the hub causing the weighting materials to be conveyed to the discharge ports; and a clean fluid pipe extending axially at the conveyor hub for discharging a clean fluid at the discharge ports, wherein the clean fluid discharged from the clean fluid pipe is distributed radially and circumferentially outwardly therefrom for mixing substantially homogeneously with the discharging weighting materials for forming the reconstituted, weighted drilling fluid; and a second horizontal centrifuge, arranged in series with the first centrifuge, for receiving the drilling fluid and the low gravity solids discharged from the proximal end of the first centrifuge and separating the low gravity solids therefrom for forming the clean fluid, wherein the clean fluid is recycled to the clean fluid pipe of the first centrifuge.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the second centrifuge is rotated at a higher speed than the first centrifuge.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein the first centrifuge is operated in a range from about 800 rpm to about 1000 rpm and the second centrifuge is operated in a range from about 1500 rpm to about 3000 rpm.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] FIG. 1 is a side view of a horizontal centrifuge according to an embodiment taught herein, shown having a lid or outer shroud covering internal components therein;

[0019] FIG. 2 is a side view of the horizontal centrifuge of FIG. 1, the shroud removed for viewing a horizontal bowl supported for rotation and having cylindrical and conical portions therein;

[0020] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view according to FIG. 2, illustrating a hub having a screw conveyor supported thereon for rotation within the bowl, the hub having coaxially-extending, in this case concentric, feed tubes supported therein, one being a slurry feed tube for conveying a returned drilling fluid slurry intermediate the cylindrical portion of the bowl for separation therein and the other being a clean fluid tube for distributing a clean drilling fluid adjacent solids discharge ports at a distal end of the conical portion for mixing with weighted materials discharged therefrom for forming a reconstituted, homogeneous drilling fluid for discharge to a hopper for delivery to rig mud tanks;

[0021] FIG. 4A is a perspective view according to FIG. 3, flights of rotors and other internal components having been removed therefrom for viewing the inner and outer fluid feed tubes therein;

[0022] FIG. 4B is an illustration of a radial and circumferential distribution of clean fluid exiting the clean fluid pipe, a baffle plate having been removed for clarity;

[0023] FIG. 5A is an illustration of an arrangement wherein the slurry and clean fluid feed tubes enter the hub along a horizontal axis of the centrifuge at the cylindrical end of the bowl, a gear box being operatively connected to the centrifuge at the opposing conical end;

[0024] FIG. 5B is an illustration of an arrangement wherein the slurry and clean fluid feed tubes enter the hub along the horizontal axis of the centrifuge at the conical end, the gear box being operatively connected to the centrifuge at the opposing cylindrical end of the bowl; and

[0025] FIG. 6 is an illustration of a system for weighting material recovery incorporating a first centrifuge, according to embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 to 5B, for forming a reconstituted weighted drilling fluid using weighting materials recovered therein and a second centrifuge for producing a clean fluid from fluid and low gravity solids separated from the weighting materials in the first centrifuge, the clean fluid being recycled to the first centrifuge.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] Having reference to FIGS. 1 to 5B, a horizontal centrifuge 10 is shown for use on recovering weighting materials 12, such as barite, calcium carbonate, hematite, or mixtures thereof, from a returned drilling fluid slurry 14. The recovered weighting materials 14 are reconstituted in the centrifuge 10 with a clean drilling fluid 16, distributed therein for mixing with the recovered weighting materials so as to form a substantially homogeneous reconstituted weighted drilling fluid 18 therein.

[0027] Having reference to FIG. 6, in a system taught herein, the horizontal centrifuge 10, according to embodiments taught herein, is a first centrifuge for separating the weighting materials 12 from the slurry 14. Drilling fluid F and low gravity solids 20, which are separated from the weighting materials 12 in the first centrifuge 10, are directed to a second, conventional horizontal centrifuge 22 for removal of the low gravity solids 20 from the drilling fluid F to produce the clean drilling fluid 16 for recycle to the first centrifuge 10. The second centrifuge 22 is generally operated at a higher rotational speed than the first centrifuge 10.

[0028] In greater detail, having reference to FIGS. 1 to 4, the centrifuge 10 comprises a horizontally extending bowl 30, having a cylindrical portion 32 and a conical portion 34, housed within a pan 36 and a lid 38.

[0029] Best seen in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4A, the bowl 30 is supported for rotation about a horizontal axis X between a trunnion 40 at a proximal end 42 of the cylindrical portion 32 and a trunnion 44 at a distal end 46 of the conical portion 34. A hub 50, having a bore 52 formed therethrough, extends through the bowl 30 and is supported for rotation therein along the axis X. A screw conveyor 54 is supported on the hub 50 for co-rotation therewith. A gear box 56 is operatively connected to the bowl 30 and hub 50 for relative rotation therebetween, the bowl 30 and hub 50 being generally rotated at different speeds. As in a conventional horizontal centrifuge, the heavier weighting materials are directed to an outer wall 58 of the bowl 30 and are scraped or moved therealong by the screw conveyor 54 to a plurality of circumferentially spaced solids discharge ports 60, located adjacent the distal end 46 of the conical portion 34, for discharge therefrom.

[0030] Best seen in FIGS. 3, 4A and 4B, unlike a conventional horizontal centrifuge however, coaxially-extending slurry and clean fluid conduits or pipes 62,64 extend into the centrifuge 10, at or through the hub's bore 52, for delivery of the returned drilling fluid 14, containing the weighting materials 12 and low gravity solids 20, and clean fluids 16 therein, respectively. In embodiments, the slurry pipe 62 and clean fluid pipe 64 are concentrically arranged. Appropriate slip-connections are provided between the non-rotating sources of the fluids 14,16 and the rotation pipes 62,64.

[0031] As illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4B, a homogenous mixing of the recovered weighting materials 12 and clean fluid 16 occurs. Clean fluid 16, axially exits a discharge end 66 of the clean pipe 64, generally horizontally and encounters a baffle plate 68 spaced axially therefrom. The baffle plate 68 redirects the clean drilling fluid 16 radially outwardly toward the solids discharge ports 60 in the bowl's conical portion 34. Rotation of the hub 50 distributes the radially-directed clean fluid 16 toward the discharge ports 60 causing the clean drilling fluid 16 to mix with the weighting materials 12 at or discharging through the discharge ports 60. Mixing forms a homogeneous, reconstituted weighted drilling fluid 18. As the weighting materials 12 are picked up by the clean fluid 16 and mixed therewith, plugging of the discharge ports 60 and clumping on an inner surface S of the pan 36 and lid 38 are minimized. In embodiments, a hopper 61 is fluidly connected to the solids discharge ports 60 for collection of the reconstituted weighted drilling mud 18. The reconstituted weighted drilling mud 18 is delivered therefrom to rig mud tanks (not shown).

[0032] In a first arrangement, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 5A, the slurry pipe 62 and clean fluid pipe 64 are concentric. The slurry pipe 62, entering and extending the proximal end 42 of the cylindrical portion 32 terminates intermediate the cylindrical portion 32. The clean fluid pipe 64 extends through the slurry pipe 62 and terminates adjacent the solids discharge ports 60 at the distal end 46 of the conical portion 34. The returned drilling fluid 14, which has had coarse solids removed, such as at a shale shaker (not shown), is introduced to the centrifuge 10 in an annulus 70 formed between the inner, clean fluid pipe 64 and the outer, slurry pipe 62. The returned drilling fluid 14 is delivered intermediate therein to the cylindrical portion 32, such as through fluid ports 72 in the screw conveyor 54. The bowl 30 is rotated at a relatively low speed, suitable for stripping the at least weighting materials 12 from the returned drilling fluid 14 and leaving the fluid F with the low gravity solids 20 therein. For example, the bowl 30 is rotated in the range from about 800 rpm to about 1000 rpm.

[0033] The weighting materials settle from the slurry 14 along the cylcindrical portion. The screw conveyor 54 moves the separated weighting materials 12 toward the conical portion 34 for discharge through solids discharge ports 60 thereat. The drilling fluid F, containing at least the remaining low gravity solids 20 moves in the opposite direction toward the cylindrical portion 32, for discharge from the proximal end 42 thereof.

[0034] As the returned drilling fluid 14 is fed to the annulus 70, clean drilling fluid 16 is fed to the inner, clean fluid pipe 64 for discharge adjacent the solids discharge ports 60 as described above. The agitation caused by the radial and circumferential distribution of the clean fluid 16 aids in flushing the solids discharge ports 60 and mixing the clean drilling fluid 16 with the weighting materials 12 being discharged therethrough. Thus, plugging of the discharge ports 60 and apparatus downstream thereof is minimized and mixing of recovered at least weighting material 12 and clean fluid 16 is maximized.

[0035] In an alternate arrangement, as shown in FIG. 5B, the concentric clean fluid and slurry pipes 64,62 enter the centrifuge 10 from the distal end 46 of the conical portion 34. To facilitate this arrangement, the gear box 56 is relocated to be operatively connected to the centrifuge 10 adjacent the proximal end 42 of the cylindrical portion 32. In this arrangement, the clean fluid pipe 64 terminates adjacent the solids discharge ports 60 for distribution of the clean fluid 16 as previously described. The slurry pipe 62, which extends through the clean fluid pipe 64, terminates intermediate the cylindrical portion 32 for delivery of the returned drilling fluid thereto. The clean fluid is delivered through the annulus 70 formed therebetween. Movement of the weighting materials 12 and drilling fluid F with low gravity solids 20, within the centrifuge 10, remains as discussed above.

[0036] Having reference to FIG. 6, in greater detail, in the system for solids control and for integrated weighting material recovery, the drilling fluid F, containing the low gravity solids 20, which is discharged from the proximal end 42 of the first centrifuge 10, is delivered to the second, conventional centrifuge 22 for further clarification therein. The second centrifuge 22 is any centrifuge capable of removing the low gravity solids 20 to produce the clean fluid 16. In embodiments, the second centrifuge 22 is a conventional horizontal centrifuge. The second centrifuge 22 is rotated at a higher speed than the first centrifuge 10, the rotation speed being sufficient to remove the low gravity solids 20 from the drilling fluid F and produce the clean drilling fluid 16. For example, the second centrifuge 22 is operated at a rotational speed in the range from about 1500 rpm to about 3000 rpm. The clean drilling fluid 16 is then recycled to the first centrifuge 10 for delivery and distribution, by the clean fluid pipe 64, for mixing with the recovered weighting material 12 at the solids discharge ports 60. The reconstituted weighted drilling fluid 18, collected in the hopper 61, is sent to the rig mud tanks for further use.