Method and apparatus for automatically testing high pressure and high temperature sedimentation of slurries

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10209169-B2
Application number	US-201615096469-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 12, 2016
Priority date	May 23, 2012
Publication date	Feb 19, 2019
Grant date	Feb 19, 2019

Abstract

A method and apparatus for automatically testing high pressure and high temperature sedimentation of slurries is described. The method includes pumping a sample drilling fluid into a test cell. The sample drilling fluid may be subjected to a pre-determined pressure and a pre-determined temperature for a pre-determined period of time. The test cell may also be oriented at non-vertical angle. The sample drilling fluid may be pumped out of the test cell and the density of the sample drilling fluid automatically measured relative to a displaced fluid volume of the sample drilling fluid.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for testing a property of drilling fluids, comprising:
pumping a sample drilling fluid into a test cell through a first control valve by a first pump in fluid communication with the test cell;
isolating the sample drilling fluid within the test cell by the first control valve and a second control valve;
subjecting the sample drilling fluid within the test cell to a pre-determined pressure and a pre-determined temperature for a pre-determined period of time by opening a third control valve to allow a pressurization fluid to be pumped into the test cell by a second pump in fluid communication with the test cell when the sample drilling fluid is isolated within the test cell by the first control valve and the second control valve;
pumping the sample drilling fluid out of the test cell through the second control valve; and
measuring a density of the sample drilling fluid displaced from the test cell through the second control valve by a density transducer in fluid communication with the test cell.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein pumping the sample drilling fluid into the test cell comprises pumping by the first pump the sample drilling fluid through a side port of the test cell.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of orienting the test cell at a pre-determined, non-vertical angle.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein subjecting the sample drilling fluid within the test cell to a pre-determined pressure includes moving a plunger within the test cell.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein subjecting the sample drilling fluid within the test cell to a pre-determined temperature includes heating the test cell to a pre-determined temperature using a heating jacket at least partially surrounding the test cell.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the heating jacket is at least partially controlled by an automated control system.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the automated control system comprises a Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system.

Assignees

• Halliburton Energy Services Inc

Inventors

• Jamison Dale E
• Murphy Robert J

Classifications

• G01N9/00

  Investigating density or specific gravity of materials; Analysing materials by determining density or specific gravity · CPC title

• G01N9/32 Primary

  by using flow properties of fluids, e.g. flow through tubes or apertures · CPC title

• G01N15/04 Primary

  Investigating sedimentation of particle suspensions · CPC title

• E21B41/00

  Equipment or details not covered by groups E21B15/00 - E21B40/00 · CPC title