Degassing and analyzing drilling fluid

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11739600-B2
Application number	US-201816639583-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 28, 2018
Priority date	Sep 19, 2017
Publication date	Aug 29, 2023
Grant date	Aug 29, 2023

Abstract

Apparatus and methods for degassing and analyzing drilling fluid discharged from a wellbore at an oil and gas wellsite. The apparatus may be a drilling fluid analysis system having a gas analyzer, a fluid analyzer, and a degasser operable to release and separate mud gas entrained in the drilling fluid. The degasser may include a gas-liquid separator having a separator inlet configured to receive the drilling fluid containing the entrained mud gas, a first separator outlet for discharging the mud gas fluidly connected with the gas analyzer, and a second separator outlet for discharging degassed drilling fluid fluidly connected with the fluid analyzer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
a degasser operable to release and separate mud gas entrained in drilling fluid discharged from a wellbore at an oil and gas wellsite, wherein the degasser comprises:
a gas-liquid separator comprising a fluid separator housing comprising a separator inlet configured to receive the drilling fluid containing the entrained mud gas, a first separator outlet configured to discharge the mud gas, and a second separator outlet configured to discharge degassed drilling fluid, wherein the second separator outlet is configured to be fluidly connected with a drilling fluid destination, wherein the drilling fluid destination comprises a container configured to contain the drilling fluid, and wherein a bottom end of the fluid separator housing is positioned at least partially within the container of the drilling fluid destination such that the second separator outlet is located below a level of the container to which the drilling fluid is filled when contained within the container of the drilling fluid destination; and
a venturi ejector operable to move the drilling fluid containing the entrained mud gas from the container of the drilling fluid destination to the gas-liquid separator, wherein the venturi ejector comprises a first ejector inlet configured to fluidly connect with a motive gas source, a second ejector inlet configured to fluidly connect with the container of the drilling fluid destination, and an ejector outlet fluidly connected with the separator inlet.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the drilling fluid destination is a shale shaker, and wherein the degasser is further configured to be mounted in association with the shale shaker.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the container of the drilling fluid destination is a header box of the shale shaker.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the venturi ejector is operable to:
receive pressurized motive gas via the first ejector inlet;
form a vacuum at the second ejector inlet to draw the drilling fluid via the second ejector inlet; and
discharge a mixture of the motive gas and the drilling fluid via the ejector outlet.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the degasser further comprises:
a valve fluidly connected along a first fluid conduit extending between the ejector outlet of the venturi ejector and the separator inlet of the gas-liquid separator, wherein the valve is operable to selectively permit or prevent fluid flow through the first fluid conduit, and wherein in a closed position the valve causes motive gas entering the venturi ejector to be discharged via the second ejector inlet to purge the venturi ejector; and
a second fluid conduit extending between the second ejector inlet and the container of the drilling fluid destination.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the degasser further comprises:
a heater operatively connected between the container of the drilling fluid destination and the gas-liquid separator, wherein the heater is operable to heat the drilling fluid flowing between the container of the drilling fluid destination and the gas-liquid separator.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:
a gas analyzer fluidly connected with the first separator outlet, wherein the gas analyzer is operable to generate signals or information indicative of type and/or quantity of the mud gas released and separated from the drilling fluid.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising:
a fluid analyzer fluidly connected with the second separator outlet, wherein the fluid analyzer is operable to generate signals or information indicative of properties and/or characteristics of the degassed drilling fluid.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising:
a controller comprising a processor and a memory storing an executable computer program code, wherein the controller is communicatively connected with the gas analyzer and the fluid analyzer and operable to:
receive the signals or information generated by the gas analyzer and the fluid analyzer; and
cause wellsite equipment at the oil and gas wellsite to adjust properties of drilling fluid that is to be injected into the wellbore via a drill string during drilling operations based at least partially on the received signals or information.

10. An apparatus comprising:
a drilling fluid analysis system comprising:
a gas analyzer;
a fluid analyzer; and
a degasser operable to release and separate mud gas entrained in drilling fluid discharged from a wellbore at an oil and gas wellsite, wherein the degasser comprises:
a gas-liquid separator comprising a fluid separator housing that comprises:
a separator inlet configured to receive the drilling fluid containing the entrained mud gas;
a first separator outlet for discharging the mud gas fluidly connected with the gas analyzer; and
a second separator outlet for discharging degassed drilling fluid fluidly connected with the fluid analyzer, wherein the second separator outlet is configured to be fluidly connected with a drilling fluid destination, wherein the drilling fluid destination comprises a container configured to contain the drilling fluid, and wherein a bottom end of the fluid separator housing is positioned at least partially within the container of the drilling fluid destination such that the second separator outlet is located below a level of the container to which the drilling fluid is filled when contained within the container of the drilling fluid destination.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the drilling fluid destination is a shale shaker, wherein the container of the drilling fluid destination is a header box of the shale shaker, and wherein the degasser is further configured to be mounted in association with the shale shaker comprising the header box.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the degasser further comprises:
a venturi ejector operable to move the drilling fluid containing the entrained mud gas from the container of the drilling fluid destination to the gas-liquid separator, and wherein the venturi ejector comprises:
a first ejector inlet configured to fluidly connect with a motive gas source;
a second ejector inlet configured to fluidly connect with the container of the drilling fluid destination; and
an ejector outlet fluidly connected with the separator inlet.

13. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the gas analyzer is operable to generate first signals or information indicative of type and/or quantity of the mud gas released and separated from the drilling fluid, and wherein the fluid analyzer is operable to generate second signals or information indicative of properties and/or characteristics of the degassed drilling fluid.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 further comprising a controller comprising:
a processor and a memory storing an executable computer program code, wherein the controller is communicatively connected with the gas analyzer and the fluid analyzer and operable to:
receive the first and second signals or information; and
cause wellsite equipment at the oil and gas wellsite to adjust properties of drilling fluid that is to be injected into the wellbore via a drill string during drilling operations based at least partially on the received first and second signals or information.

15. A method comprising:
performing drilling operations to form a wellbore at an oil and gas wellsite;
operating the degasser of claim 1 at the oil and gas wellsite to release and separate mud gas entrained in drilling fluid discharged from the wellbore;
operating a gas analyzer to analyze the mud gas discharged from the degasser; and
operating

Assignees

• Mi Llc
• Schlumberger Technology Corp

Inventors

• Bingham Richard
• Karoum Reda

Classifications

• E21B21/067 Primary

  Separating gases from drilling fluids · CPC title

• B01D19/0036

  Flash degasification (the other groups take precedence) · CPC title

• B01D19/0042

  modifying the liquid flow (B01D19/0021 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B01D19/0063

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

• B01D33/0346

  with flat filtering elements · CPC title