Systems and methods for generation of electrical power at a drilling rig

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11946459-B2
Application number	US-202318101293-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 25, 2023
Priority date	Apr 2, 2021
Publication date	Apr 2, 2024
Grant date	Apr 2, 2024

Abstract

Embodiments of systems and methods for generating power in the vicinity of a drilling rig are disclosed. During a drilling operation, heat generated by drilling fluid flowing from a borehole, exhaust from an engine, and/or fluid from an engine's water (or other fluid) jacket, for example, may be utilized by corresponding heat exchangers to facilitate heat transfer to a working fluid. The heated working fluid may cause an ORC unit to generate electrical power.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for generating power, the method comprising:
pumping drilling fluid from a drilling fluid container to a drill pipe adjacent a drilling rig, the drilling fluid to flow through the drill pipe to adjacent a location that generates a heated drilling fluid from flow of the drilling fluid, the heated drilling fluid to flow to a drilling fluid return pipe;
diverting one or more of: (1) the heated drilling fluid to a first heat exchanger connected to a working fluid manifold via a first working fluid flow control device and positioned to transfer heat from the heated drilling fluid to a flow of a first portion of a working fluid, thereby to generate a cooled drilling fluid and a heated first portion of the working fluid, the heated first portion of the working fluid positioned to cause a generator to generate electrical power, (2) exhaust produced by one or more engines, to a second heat exchanger connected to the working fluid manifold via a second working fluid flow control device, the second heat exchanger positioned to transfer heat from the exhaust to a flow of a second portion of the working fluid to generate a heated second portion of the working fluid, the heat second portion of the working fluid to cause a generator to generate electrical power, or (3) heated coolant from a water jacket associated with the one or more engines to a third heat exchanger connected to the working fluid manifold via a third working fluid control device, the third heat exchanger to transfer heat from the heated coolant to a flow of a third portion of the working fluid to generate a heated third portion of the working fluid, the heated third portion of the working fluid positioned to cause a generator to generate electrical power;
determining an exhaust thermal mass of the exhaust produced by the one or more engines;
determining an ambient temperature of the drilling rig;
in response to one or more of (1) a determination that the exhaust thermal mass of the exhaust from the one or more engines is outside of an exhaust thermal mass range, or (2) a determination that an ambient temperature exceeds an engine operating range;
adjusting one or more of (1) flow of the exhaust from the one or more engines to the second heat exchanger, or (2) (a) the second working fluid flow control device or (b) the third working fluid flow control device; and
returning the cooled drilling fluid to the drilling fluid container.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, prior to returning the cooled drilling fluid to the drilling fluid container:
degassing the cooled drilling fluid; and
removing cuttings included in the cooled drilling fluid from formation of a borehole.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, prior to diversion of the heated drilling fluid:
sensing a temperature of the heated drilling fluid;
in response to the temperature of the heated drilling fluid being lower than a generator operating range, preventing a flow of the heated drilling fluid to the first heat exchanger; and
in response to the temperature of the heated drilling fluid being within a generator operating range, diverting the flow of the heated drilling fluid to the first heat exchanger.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more engines drive one or more generator sets, wherein the one or more generator sets generate a total of about 2 megawatts to about 10 megawatts, and wherein the exhaust from the one or more engines has a temperature in the range of about 500° Fahrenheit (F) to about 1200° (F) and a flow rate in the range of at about 2000 cubic feet per minute (CFM) to about 20000 CFM.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein prior to transport of the heated coolant to the third heat exchanger:
sensing a heated coolant temperature of the flow of heated coolant from the water jacket, and
in response to the heated coolant temperature being outside of a water jacket temperature range, preventing or allowing flow of the heated coolant from the water jacket to the third heat exchanger.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the heated coolant has a temperature in the range of about 165° F. to about 230° F. and a flow rate in a range of at about 70 gallons per minute to about 250 gallons per minute.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, in response to a determination that electrical power utilization of a drilling fluid chiller exceeds an operating range, increasing, via the first working fluid flow control device, an amount of working fluid flowing from the working fluid manifold to the first heat exchanger, and wherein the transfer of heat from the heated drilling fluid to the flow of the working fluid extends a time that bottom-hole assembly components are utilized and reduces a total amount of electrical power consumed by the drilling fluid chiller of the drilling rig.

8. A method for generating power at a drilling rig, the method comprising:
receiving a heated drilling fluid from a fluid channel;
diverting one or more of: (1) the heated drilling fluid to a first heat exchanger connected to a working fluid manifold via a first working fluid flow control device, the first heat exchanger positioned to transfer heat from the heated drilling fluid to a flow of a first portion of a working fluid, thereby to generate a cooled drilling fluid and a heated first portion of working fluid positioned to cause a generator to generate electrical power, (2) exhaust produced by one or more engines to a second heat exchanger connected to the working fluid manifold via a second working fluid flow control device, the second heat exchanger positioned to transfer heat from the exhaust to a flow of a second portion of the working fluid, thereby to generate a heated second portion of the working fluid, the heated second portion of the working fluid positioned to cause a generator to generate electrical power, or (3) heated coolant from a water jacket associated with the one or more of the engines to a third heat exchanger connected to the working fluid manifold via a third working fluid flow control device, the third heat exchanger to transfer heat from the heated coolant to a flow of a third portion of the working fluid, thereby to generate a heated third portion of the working fluid, the heated third portion of the working fluid positioned to cause a generator to generate electrical power;
determining an exhaust thermal mass of the exhaust produced by the one or more engines;
determining electrical power utilized by a drilling fluid chiller;
in response to one or more of (1) a determination that the exhaust thermal mass of the exhaust from the one or more engines is outside of an exhaust thermal mass range, or (2) a determination that the electrical power utilization of the drilling fluid chiller exceeds an operating range:
adjusting one or more of (1) flow of the exhaust from the one or more engines to the second heat exchanger, or (2) the first working fluid flow control device to increase an amount of the first portion of the working fluid flowing from the working fluid manifold to the first heat exchanger; and

returning the cooled drilling fluid to a drilling fluid container.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the drilling rig comprises one of an on-shore drilling rig or off-shore drilling rig, wherein the electrical power comprises one of direct current (DC) or alternating current (AC) power, and wherein the electrical power is supplied to one or more of on-site drilling rig equipment, to the grid, or an energy storage device.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein on-site equipment at the drilling rig utilizes the electrical power, and wherein the utilization of the electrical power by the on-site equipment reduces total fuel usage

Assignees

• Ice Thermal Harvesting Llc

Inventors

• Bodishbaugh Adrian Benjamin
• Murtland Carrie Jeanne

Classifications

• E21B23/0415

  using particular fluids, e.g. electro-active liquids · CPC title

• F03G7/045 Primary

  Environmental heat plants or OTEC plants using an Organic Rankine Cycle [ORC] or a Kalina Cycle · CPC title

• E21B34/025

  Chokes or valves in wellheads and sub-sea wellheads for variably regulating fluid flow · CPC title

• E21B34/066

  electrically actuated · CPC title

• E21B36/00

  Heating, cooling or insulating arrangements for boreholes or wells, e.g. for use in permafrost zones · CPC title