Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
  • B01D—SEPARATION
  • B01D21/00—Separation of suspended solid particles from liquids by sedimentation
  • B01D21/0012—Settling tanks making use of filters, e.g. by floating layers of particulate material
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
  • B01D—SEPARATION
  • B01D21/00—Separation of suspended solid particles from liquids by sedimentation
  • B01D21/0039—Settling tanks provided with contact surfaces, e.g. baffles, particles
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
  • B01D—SEPARATION
  • B01D21/00—Separation of suspended solid particles from liquids by sedimentation
  • B01D21/0039—Settling tanks provided with contact surfaces, e.g. baffles, particles
  • B01D21/0045—Plurality of essentially parallel plates
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
  • B01D—SEPARATION
  • B01D21/00—Separation of suspended solid particles from liquids by sedimentation
  • B01D21/0039—Settling tanks provided with contact surfaces, e.g. baffles, particles
  • B01D21/0063—Settling tanks provided with contact surfaces, e.g. baffles, particles with cross-flow flow direction of liquid and solid particles
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
  • B01D—SEPARATION
  • B01D21/00—Separation of suspended solid particles from liquids by sedimentation
  • B01D21/24—Feed or discharge mechanisms for settling tanks
  • B01D21/2427—The feed or discharge opening located at a distant position from the side walls
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
  • B01D—SEPARATION
  • B01D21/00—Separation of suspended solid particles from liquids by sedimentation
  • B01D21/24—Feed or discharge mechanisms for settling tanks
  • B01D21/245—Discharge mechanisms for the sediments
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
  • B01D—SEPARATION
  • B01D21/00—Separation of suspended solid particles from liquids by sedimentation
  • B01D21/24—Feed or discharge mechanisms for settling tanks
  • B01D21/245—Discharge mechanisms for the sediments
  • B01D21/2461—Positive-displacement pumps; Screw feeders; Trough conveyors
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
  • B01D—SEPARATION
  • B01D21/00—Separation of suspended solid particles from liquids by sedimentation
  • B01D21/28—Mechanical auxiliary equipment for acceleration of sedimentation, e.g. by vibrators or the like
  • B01D21/283—Settling tanks provided with vibrators
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
  • B01D—SEPARATION
  • B01D29/00—Filters with filtering elements stationary during filtration, e.g. pressure or suction filters, not covered by groups B01D24/00 - B01D27/00; Filtering elements therefor
  • B01D29/01—Filters with filtering elements stationary during filtration, e.g. pressure or suction filters, not covered by groups B01D24/00 - B01D27/00; Filtering elements therefor with flat filtering elements
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
  • B01D—SEPARATION
  • B01D29/00—Filters with filtering elements stationary during filtration, e.g. pressure or suction filters, not covered by groups B01D24/00 - B01D27/00; Filtering elements therefor
  • B01D29/50—Filters with filtering elements stationary during filtration, e.g. pressure or suction filters, not covered by groups B01D24/00 - B01D27/00; Filtering elements therefor with multiple filtering elements, characterised by their mutual disposition
  • B01D29/56—Filters with filtering elements stationary during filtration, e.g. pressure or suction filters, not covered by groups B01D24/00 - B01D27/00; Filtering elements therefor with multiple filtering elements, characterised by their mutual disposition in series connection
  • B01D29/58—Filters with filtering elements stationary during filtration, e.g. pressure or suction filters, not covered by groups B01D24/00 - B01D27/00; Filtering elements therefor with multiple filtering elements, characterised by their mutual disposition in series connection arranged concentrically or coaxially
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
  • B01D—SEPARATION
  • B01D29/00—Filters with filtering elements stationary during filtration, e.g. pressure or suction filters, not covered by groups B01D24/00 - B01D27/00; Filtering elements therefor
  • B01D29/62—Regenerating the filter material in the filter
  • B01D29/70—Regenerating the filter material in the filter by forces created by movement of the filter element
  • B01D29/72—Regenerating the filter material in the filter by forces created by movement of the filter element involving vibrations
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
  • B01D—SEPARATION
  • B01D35/00—Filtering devices having features not specifically covered by groups B01D24/00 - B01D33/00, or for applications not specifically covered by groups B01D24/00 - B01D33/00; Auxiliary devices for filtration; Filter housing constructions
  • B01D35/30—Filter housing constructions
  • B01D35/301—Constructions of two or more housings
• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
  • E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
  • E21B21/00—Methods or apparatus for flushing boreholes, e.g. by use of exhaust air from motor
  • E21B21/06—Arrangements for treating drilling fluids outside the borehole
  • E21B21/063—Arrangements for treating drilling fluids outside the borehole by separating components
  • E21B21/065—Separating solids from drilling fluids
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
  • B01D—SEPARATION
  • B01D2201/00—Details relating to filtering apparatus
  • B01D2201/18—Filters characterised by the openings or pores
  • B01D2201/188—Multiple filtering elements having filtering areas of different size

Definitions

• the invention relates to a separator for separating particles from a well fluid.
• the separated particles may comprise cuttings, rock particles, metal particles, additives and chemicals.
• the well fluid may be mainly a water based well fluid or mainly an oil based well fluid when filtering during drilling, or a so-called completion fluid when circulating fluid during other conditions than drilling.
• the separator according to the invention is arranged to separate particles such as cuttings, sand, rock particles, salts, metal shavings, metal dust, particles of additives, fragments of gaskets and other foreign substances, down to a desired size.
• shale shakers comprise mainly horizontal filter screen frames of coarser and successive finer screen cloth, where used cuttings and particles containing well fluid, as described above, are passing from the upstream well side. Cuttings and particles are retained at a screen cloth according to the so-called cut point of the screen while the filtrate passes trough forced by gravity.
• a third problem with the known shale shakers is the undesirable wear of the screen cloths caused by vibrating particles and internal friction between the support wire and the screen cloth which incurs.
• the result of the above mentioned problem is a historical achievement of only about 2.7m 3 /screen (cubic meter drilled out formation rock mass per screen consumed), while we here expect a multiplication of lifetime for each screen - possibly more than 100 m 3 /sc.
• a fourth problem with the known shale shakers is the amount of oil vapour, oil mist and other aerosols and degassing from the drilling mud due to the open design. This is anticipated to be harmful for lung tissue and may induce chemical pneumonia. There is a need for encasing and change such drilling mud separation processes to avoid this kind of evaporation in order to prevent health damages.
• a solution to the above mentioned problems is a closed separator for separating particles from a well fluid, wherein the separator comprises: an inlet for well fluid with particles, to a closed main channel from the inlet to a first outlet for partly or fully filtered well fluid from the main channel, one or more sumps for catching the particles, the sump generally arranged beneath the main channel wherein one or more of the sumps comprises a second outlet with one or more transportation devices for the particles to an outlet pipe with a particle outlet for the particles.
• a first advantage of the invention is that the apparatus is a closed device, and that one should not expect evaporation or aerosol formation from the separator.
• a second advantage of the invention is that the transportation device (12) comprises a feed screw (13) that transports particles away from the sump, and that the particle outlet (16) is arranged in level with or above the outlet (4) so the fluid is allowed to return to the sump while the particles will be transported out. This prevents the fluid from leaving together with the cuttings which are transported out.
• the apparatus may operate in a rather crude mode without filter screen frames.
• a third advantage according to the invention is that the main channel (3) comprises at least one filter screen frame (6a), with a lower edge (63a) directed towards the sump (8).
• one or more filter screen frame (6a) is arranged mainly vertically and transverse to the main channel (3), so that the separated particles are guided into the sump (8). Here their falling velocity may be increased by applying ultrasound.
• Fig. 1 is an isometric view of a closed separator according to the invention, with the inlet from the left and the outlet to the right, the sump in the bottom, and the outlet for separated particles in the pipe running behind the main vessel.
• Fig.2 is an isometric view and a partial section of the separator according to the invention with an inlet from the left, a main channel extending horizontally from the inlet to a first outlet to the right, and with tilted and sub vertical filter screen frames in the main channel and a sump for particles below the main channel. An outlet, arranged to remove the filtered particles is arranged below the sump.
• FIG. 2 further illustrates a longitudinal section through a particle trap according to the invention, wherein, ahead of the coarsest, approximately vertically arranged main filter is arranged a so-called "gumbo" -filter running vertically and transversely relative to the main channel, which is arranged for, by the movement indicated by the steps (a) - (f), to remove crude expanded masses which may arise in a well stream. This is arranged to avoid gumbo from blocking the screens.
• Fig. 3 illustrates in addition to Fig. 2, guide vanes arranged between the sub vertical filter screen frames and the outlet from the sump.
• Fig. 4 indicates an embodiment of the invention in a cross-sectional perspective and a cross section view of the main channel of the device and illustrates that the level of the fluid in the outlet pipe and in the main channel are generally the same and that the device works as a water trap concerning the filtered well fluid.
• Fig. 5 illustrates schematically the flow of a well fluid from a well, through the separator, wherein the particles are separated the filtered well fluid is removed and may be returned to the well.
• a flow drawn as a solid line and a broken line through the inlet indicates solid particles and fluids from the well fluid. Normally the filtered fluid runs back into the well and the separated particles run via the sump for being deposited.
• the dotted rectangles illustrate an ultrasound field in the area between the filter screen frames and the sump.
• Fig. 6 illustrates that the distribution of separated particles to deposition and recycling may be controlled according to desire by partitioning of the outlet from the sump into separate chambers, possibly by separate screw pumps.
• desired fractions may be returned to the well fluid to obtain a desired particle distributions in the returned well fluid, for instance for sealing certain parts of the geological formation.
• Fig. 7a are rough illustrations in longitudinal view and end view of an embodiment of the invention where separate fraction chambers and sumps each are provided with transportation devices, for instance screw pumps.
• Fig. 7b illustrates sketches, in a somewhat reduced size, of an embodiment of the invention in views: right elevation with inlet to the left, the sumps down and the outlet for filtrate to the right; rear end view with the outlet for filtrate towards the observer and the sump with the outlets for solids from the bottom and upwards to the right; front view with the inlet towards the observer and the sumps with the outlets for solids from the bottom and up to the left; left elevation view with the inlet to the right, the sumps down, the outlet for solids towards the observer and the outlet for filtrate to the left; bottom view with the inlet on top and the outlet for filtrate in the bottom, and top view with the inlet in the bottom and the outlet for filtrate at the top of the drawing.
• Fig. 7c is an end view as seen from the inlet side wherein an A-A section is indicated and wherein the right part of the drawing shows this section.
• the invention is illustrated in the attached drawings and relates to a closed separator for separating particles from a well fluid.
• the separator (1) is illustrated in Figs. 1-4 and Fig.7, and comprises the following features:
• An inlet (2) for well fluid containing particles which receives well fluid from a riser pipe or another return channel from a petroleum well or other geological well, and leads into a closed main channel (3).
• the main channel ends up in its opposite end at a first outlet (4) for partly or fully filtered well fluid from the main channel (4).
• a substantial part of the separation process takes place in a sump (8) for receiving the particles, generally arranged under the main channel (3).
• a large quantity of the desired separated particles generally between 20 and 80 %, are separated in the first sump.
• One or more sumps may be arranged under the main channel (3).
• the at least one sump (8) comprises a second outlet (10) with one or more transportation devices (12) for particles to an outlet pipe (14) with a particle outlet (16) for the particles.
• the transportation device (12) may be a screw pump comprising a feed screw (13) for transportation of unequal sized particles from the coarsest to the finest, initially in a more or less wet condition.
• the separated particles may comprise cuttings, rock particles, metal particles, additives and chemicals.
• the well fluid may be mainly a water based well fluid or mainly an oil based well fluid when filtering during drilling, or a so-called completion fluid when circulating fluid during other conditions than drilling.
• the separator according to the invention is arranged to separate particles such as cuttings, sand, rock particles, salts, metal shavings, metal dust, particles of additives, fragments of gaskets and other foreign substances, down to a desired size.
• the inventor desires the well fluid to run horizontally from the inlet to the outlet, where the main channel (3) comprises a mainly horizontal section (3h).
• the particle outlet (16) is elevated equal to or higher than the first outlet (4).
• the outlet pipe (14) is arranged with a mud level with an elevation that generally balances the back pressure of the liquid or mud level in the main channel (3) or the first outlet (4). In this way the separator works similarly to a water trap. Otherwise generally all the fluid would have run out trough the sump (8) and out trough the first outlet (4), without any separation
• the separator (1) comprises, in the main channel (3), one or more first filter screen frames (6a), with a lower edge (63a) directed towards the sump (8).
• This first filter screen frame (6a) is necessarily the coarsest one.
• the largest particles of the well fluid, down to the cut point of the first filter screen frame (6a) will be separated from the well fluid.
• the separated particles will start sedimenting through the well fluid upstream of the filter screen (6a) and move down towards the sump, while the rough filtered well fluid, containing fluid and finer particles, will pass through the coarse filter screen (6a) and end up downstream of this.
• the rough filtered well fluid may run out of the first outlet for further filtering and processing.
• the cross-section of the main channel (3) is largest near the inlet.
• the increased cross-section reduces the velocity of the liquid inversely to the area ratio between this cross-section and the cross-section of the inlet channel. This will contribute to an increased precipitation towards the first sump. This is illustrated in Fig. 7b, especially the bottom- and top-view.
• each finer filter screen frame (6b, 6c, ...) will have a finer cut point than the previous, and each filter screen frame will lead its separated particle fraction down to the sump (8), and let the successively finer filtered well fluid pass through downstream.
• Fig. ⁇ bone may see that the width of the screens may be reduced from a wider/bigger filter nearer to the inlet, to successively more narrow filters nearer to the filtrate outlet.
• a result of the invention is that concentrated particle fluid accumulates in the sump (8). This will collect coarse cuttings, coarse sand, rock particles, metal particles, fragments of gaskets and so on, all originating from the borehole.
• one or more filter screen frames (6a) are arranged mainly vertically and perpendicularly to the main channel (3), so that the separated particles are directed towards the sump (8).
• the second, third, etc filter screen frames (6b,6c, ...) are arranged mainly vertically and perpendicularly to the main channel (3) as well, so that the separated particles are directed towards the sump (8).
• the filter screen frames are not arranged vertically but slightly aslant in downstream direction. The retained particles upstream of each filter screen will then, due to the gravity, be enabled to fall off more or less down and away from the filter screen. .
• the well fluid should not be allowed to pass outside of the finest filter screen (6a, 6b, 6c,).
• the filter screens are therefore arranged to generally cover the cross section of the main channel (3).
• the apparatus is provided with one or more actuator (7) arranged to move at least one of said filter screen frames (6a, 6b, 6c, ...) in a repeating pattern.
• actuators are illustrated in Fig. 7a.
• This may be a vibrator or a motor:
• the actuator (7) may comprise a vibrator (71) arranged to vibrate one or more of the filter screen frames (6a, 6b, 6c, ). The vibrator thus helps particles fall off the filter screens and the well fluid to pass through the filter screens.
• the actuator (7) may also comprise a motor (72) for moving or rotating one or more of the filter screen frames (6a, 6b, 6c, .
• Gumbo is very large, more or less porous lumps made during precipitation under certain pressure and chemical conditions. Such large particles may expand to an undesired degree and have to be taken out first in the separator, before blocking the filters.
• one or more motorized so-called gumbo-filters (66) are arranged upstream, axial and parallel in the main channel (3), arranged to circulate from an opposite side of the main channel (3) relative to the sump (8), and arranged to transport large so-called gumbo particles out of main channel (3) and towards the sump, for subsequently being rotated at right angles and returning to the origin, then being rotated back to an axial parallel position and repeat the movement. In this way gumbo is removed before such substances may block the main channel and the first filter screen (6a).
• the particle trap is provided with an ultrasound transducer (9) in the section below the main channel (3) (to avoid effecting baryte particles in the main channel (3)), arranged to generate acoustic waves in the sump (8) for improving the sedimentation rate of particles. This will result in an improved separation rate of particles.
• an ultrasound transducer 9 in the section below the main channel (3) (to avoid effecting baryte particles in the main channel (3)), arranged to generate acoustic waves in the sump (8) for improving the sedimentation rate of particles. This will result in an improved separation rate of particles.
• Such a wave field is illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6.
• a preferred embodiment of the invention is arranged in a way such that the lower edges (63a, 63b, 63c,%) of said one or more filter screen frames (6a, 6b, 6c, ...) end up directly to the second outlet (10) to the transportation device O ' j) .
• the filter screen frames may be arranged with guide vanes instead of extending all the way down to the second outlet (10) like this: lower edges (63a, 63b, 63c,...) of one or more filter screen frames (6a, 6b, 6c, ...) end up onto separate guide vanes (65a, 65b, 65c,...) which lead towards the second outlet (10) to the transportation device (12).
• the main channel (3) and the sump (8) are enveloped by an inner chamber (5) between the inlet (2), the first outlet (4), and the second outlet (10) within the separator (1), the inner chamber (5) enclosing and sealing onto at least the lateral edges (61) and upper edges (62) of the filter screen frames (6a, 6b, 6c, ...) and with generally fluid tight gaskets (51) which envelope the inner chambers connections to the inlet (2) and the first outlet (4). In this way the entire inner chamber (5) may be vibrated and the gaskets prevent undesired unfiltered flow.
• the separator's (1) inlet (2) may comprise one or more inlet channels and the first outlet (4) may comprise one or more outlet channels.
• Fig. 5 illustrates schematically the flow of a well fluid from a well, through the separator, wherein the particles are separated, and wherein filtered well fluid is removed and may be returned to the well.
• Fig. 6 illustrates that the distribution of separated particles to deposition and recycling may be controlled according to desire by partitioning of the outlet from the sump into separate chambers, possibly by separate screw pumps.
• Fig. 7a are rough illustrations in longitudinal view and end view of an embodiment of the invention wherein separate fraction chambers and sumps each are provided with transportation devices, for instance screw pumps.
• Fig. 7b illustrates sketches, in a somewhat reduced size, of an embodiment of the invention in views: right elevation with inlet to the left, the sumps down and the outlet for filtrate to the right;
• Fig. 7c is an end view as seen from the inlet side wherein an A-A section is indicated and wherein the right part of the drawing shows this section.
• An embodiment of the invention may be combined with traditional separating devices for well fluid, where the apparatus according to the invention handles the preliminary filtering of the drilling mud, and the following traditional device handle the subsequent filtering, if required.

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• Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Geology (AREA)
• Mining & Mineral Resources (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Fluid Mechanics (AREA)
• Environmental & Geological Engineering (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• General Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Geochemistry & Mineralogy (AREA)
• Treatment Of Liquids With Adsorbents In General (AREA)
• Combined Means For Separation Of Solids (AREA)
• Separation Of Solids By Using Liquids Or Pneumatic Power (AREA)
• Filtration Of Liquid (AREA)

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• 2008
  • 2008-11-24 NO NO20084934A patent/NO329443B1/no not_active IP Right Cessation
• 2009
  • 2009-11-24 WO PCT/NO2009/000405 patent/WO2010068110A2/en active Application Filing

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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