Systems and methods comprising smart sample catcher for drilling operations

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10478754-B2
Application number	US-201715788284-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 19, 2017
Priority date	Oct 19, 2017
Publication date	Nov 19, 2019
Grant date	Nov 19, 2019

Abstract

A sample catching system for cleaning a drilling fluid in a drilling operation includes a first line having a first entrance valve configured to allow the drilling fluid to flow into the first line, a first chemical sensor for measuring the amount of hydrogen sulfide of the drilling fluid in the first line, and a first sample catch valve configured to allow the drilling fluid to flow out of the first line. The system also includes a second line having a second entrance valve configured to allow the drilling fluid to flow into the second line, a sample catch pump, and a controller configured to determine the amount of hydrogen sulfide is above a predetermined threshold value, and open the second entrance valve to divert drilling fluid intake from the first line to the second line, and close the first entrance valve to stop the drilling fluid from entering the first line.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A sample catch system for cleaning a drilling fluid in a drilling operation, the sample catch system comprising:
a first line comprising a first entrance valve configured to allow the drilling fluid to flow into the first line, a first chemical sensor configured to measure a first amount of hydrogen sulfide of the drilling fluid in the first line, and a first sample catch valve configured to allow the drilling fluid to flow out of the first line;
a second line comprising a second entrance valve configured to allow the drilling fluid to flow into the second line, a second chemical sensor configured to measure a second amount of hydrogen sulfide of the drilling fluid in the second line, and a second sample catch valve configured to allow the drilling fluid to flow out of the second line;
a sample catch pump operatively connected to the first sample catch valve and the second sample catch valve via a sample catch line, the sample catch pump configured to pump the drilling fluid from the first line, the second line and remove unwanted material from the drilling fluid; and
a controller operatively connected to the first entrance valve, the first chemical sensor, the first sample catch valve, the second entrance valve, the second chemical sensor, the second sample catch valve, and the sample catch pump, wherein the controller is configured to:
determine the first amount of hydrogen sulfide is above a predetermined threshold value;
at least partially open the second entrance valve to divert drilling fluid intake from the first line to the second line; and
close the first entrance valve to stop the drilling fluid from entering the first line.

2. The sample catching system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to at least partially open the first sample catch valve to divert the drilling fluid in the first line from the sample catch pump to the sample catch for removal of unwanted material from the drilling fluid.

3. The sample catching system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a third line comprising two or more valves configured to control flow of the drilling fluid into and out of the third line, and two or more sample catch valve configured to allow the drilling fluid to flow out of the third line, wherein the sample catch pump is operatively connected to the two or more sample catch valves via a sample catch line, the sample catch pump configured to pump the drilling fluid from the third line into the sample catch line and to the sample catch and remove unwanted material from the drilling fluid.

4. The sample catching system of claim 3 , wherein the second line further comprises a third chemical sensor configured to measure a third amount of hydrogen sulfide of the drilling fluid in the second line at an entrance point, and a fourth chemical sensor configured to measure a fourth amount of hydrogen sulfide of the drilling fluid in the second line at an exit point, wherein the controller is operatively connected to the third chemical sensor, the fourth chemical sensor, the two or more valves of the third line, wherein the controller is configured to:
determine the third amount or the fourth amount of hydrogen sulfide is above the predetermined threshold value;
at least partially open an entrance valve of the third line to divert drilling fluid intake from the second line to the third line; and
close the second entrance valve to stop the drilling fluid from entering the second line.

5. The sample catching system of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined threshold value is either 10 ppm or 15 ppm.

6. The sample catching system of claim 1 , wherein the first entrance valve and the second entrance valve comprise a High Closing Ratio or Hydraulic Control Remote (HCR) valve.

7. The sample catching system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a bypass line controlled by a third valve connected to the controller, the third valve configured to allow the drilling fluid to bypass the sample catching system.

8. The sample catching system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a human machine interface operatively connected to the controller for displaying an alert message when the drilling fluid is switched from the first line to the second line, and receiving an instruction from an operator.

9. The sample catching system of claim 1 , wherein the sample catching system is installed between a drilling rig and a shaker.

Assignees

• Saudi Arabian Oil Co

Inventors

• Sehsah Ossama
• Costa De Oliveira Victor Carlos
• Rivas Martinez Mario Augusto

Classifications

• E21B21/065

  Separating solids from drilling fluids · CPC title

• B01D19/0031

  by filtration · CPC title

• B01D19/0063 Primary

  Regulation, control including valves and floats (for construction and details of valves F16K) · CPC title

• G05D7/0658

  the plurality of throttling means being arranged for the control of a single flow from a plurality of converging flows (G05D7/0652 takes precedence; ratio control G05D11/13) · CPC title

• E21B21/067

  Separating gases from drilling fluids · CPC title