Automated analysis of drilling fluid

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12282010-B2
Application number	US-202217980819-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 4, 2022
Priority date	Jul 6, 2017
Publication date	Apr 22, 2025
Grant date	Apr 22, 2025

Abstract

A system includes a fluid conduit, a fluid chamber in communication with the fluid conduit, a rheology sensor in communication with the fluid chamber, and an electric temperature controller in communication with the fluid chamber. The fluid chamber is cooled in response to a first control signal from the electric temperature controller.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system, comprising:
a fluid conduit;
a fluid chamber in communication with the fluid conduit to enable the fluid chamber to receive a fluid from the fluid conduit;
a rheology sensor in communication with the fluid chamber to enable the rheology sensor to test a rheological parameter of the fluid while the fluid is in the fluid chamber;
a density sensor positioned along a side loop extending from the fluid chamber to enable the density sensor to test a density of a portion of the fluid extracted from the fluid chamber, wherein the side loop comprises a fluid inlet connected to a first portion of the fluid chamber and a fluid outlet connected to a second portion of the fluid chamber;
an electric temperature controller in communication with the fluid chamber, wherein the fluid chamber is cooled in response to a first control signal from the electric temperature controller, wherein the electric temperature controller includes a thermoelectric material that produces a heated region and a cooling region, and wherein the electric temperature controller includes a pulse width modulator to switch electric current to the thermoelectric material on and off;
a processor; and
memory in communication with the processor, wherein the memory stores instructions that cause the processor to:
receive a user input of a first desired temperature for testing the density of the fluid; and
provide a control signal to operate a pump to cause the portion of the fluid to enter the side loop when the fluid within the fluid chamber is at the first desired temperature to enable the density sensor to test the density of the portion of the fluid at the first desired temperature, wherein the first desired temperature is different from a second desired temperature at which the rheology sensor tests the rheological parameter of the fluid while the fluid is in the fluid chamber.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the fluid chamber is heated in response to a second control signal from the electric temperature controller.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the second control signal has an opposite polarity than the first control signal.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the electric temperature controller includes a heat sink in communication with the thermoelectric material.

5. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a polarity switch in communication with the thermoelectric material,
wherein when the polarity switch directs electricity in a first direction through the thermoelectric material, the heated region is produced on a first side of the thermoelectric material and the cooling region is produced on a second side of the thermoelectric material, and
wherein when the polarity switch directs electricity in a second direction, opposite to the first direction, through the thermoelectric material, the heated region is produced on the second side of the thermoelectric material and the cooling region is produced on the first side of the thermoelectric material.

6. The system of claim 1 ,
wherein the instructions that cause the processor to:
receive an additional user input to test a fluid sample of the fluid in the fluid chamber with the rheology sensor at two or more different temperatures comprising the second desired temperature and a third desired temperature;
with the electric temperature controller, bring a temperature of the fluid sample to the second desired temperature of the two or more different temperatures;
test the fluid sample with the rheology sensor at the second desired temperature;
automatically, with the electric temperature controller, bring the temperature of the fluid sample to the third desired temperature of the two or more different temperatures; and
test the fluid sample with the rheology sensor at the third desired temperature.

7. The system of claim 1 , further including at least one level detection sensor incorporated into the fluid chamber.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the at least one level detection sensor is a thermal dispersion sensor.

9. The system of claim 1 , further including an insulation layer covering an outside surface of the fluid chamber.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the thermoelectric material contacts a polished surface of the fluid chamber.

11. The system of claim 1 ,
wherein the instructions cause the processor to:
with the electric temperature controller, bring the temperature of the fluid in the fluid chamber to the first desired temperature; and
provide the control signal to operate the pump to cause the portion of the fluid to enter the side loop when the fluid within the fluid chamber is at the first desired temperature to thereby control a temperature of the portion of the fluid to correspond to the first desired temperature during the test of the density of the portion of the fluid.

12. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a rotor positioned in the fluid chamber; and
at least one level detection sensor comprising a thermal dispersion sensor,
wherein the instructions cause the processor to:
instruct rotation of the rotor in the fluid chamber as the fluid flows into the fluid chamber;
receive inputs from the thermal dispersion sensor during the rotation of the rotor as the fluid flows into the fluid chamber; and
block flow of the fluid from the fluid conduit into the fluid chamber in response to determining, based on the inputs, that a level of the fluid within the fluid chamber matches an operating level.

13. A method, comprising:
receiving instructions to test a drilling fluid sample at two or more temperatures;
instructing rotation of a rotor positioned within a fluid chamber as drilling fluid flows into the fluid chamber;
receiving inputs from a thermal dispersion sensor during the rotation of the rotor as the drilling fluid flows into the fluid chamber;
blocking flow of the drilling fluid into the fluid chamber to provide the drilling fluid sample within the fluid chamber in response to determining, based on the inputs, that a level of the drilling fluid within the fluid chamber matches an operating level;
bringing a temperature of the drilling fluid sample in the fluid chamber to a first temperature of the two or more temperatures using an electric temperature controller with current adjusted using a pulse width modulator;
testing the drilling fluid sample at the first temperature using a fluid property sensor coupled with the electric temperature controller;
automatically bringing the temperature of the drilling fluid sample in the fluid chamber to a second temperature after a conclusion of a test at the first temperature using the electric temperature controller by adjusting current to the electric temperature controller using the pulse width modulator; and
testing the drilling fluid sample at the second temperature.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein bringing the temperature of the drilling fluid sample to the first temperature or the second temperature includes applying a current set by the pulse width modulator to a thermoelectric material in thermal contact with the drilling fluid sample.

15. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
extracting a portion of the drilling fluid sample through a side conduit extending from the fluid chamber; and
measuring a density of the portion of the drilling fluid sample with a density sensor positioned along the side conduit extending from the fluid chamber.

16. An apparatus, comprising:
a fluid chamber, the fluid chamber including:
a chamber wall; and
an opening defined by the chamber wall;

a rheology sensor in communic

Assignees

• Schlumberger Technology Corp

Inventors

• Stewart Colin
• Fossdal Truls
• Melz Ragnar
• Connaughton Jerry Thomas
• Chizhov Zakhar
• Mcpherson Neil
• Sheladia Rahul

Classifications

• G01N2011/0093

  thermal properties · CPC title

• G01N11/14 Primary

  by using rotary bodies, e.g. vane (G01N11/16 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01N9/36

  Analysing materials by measuring the density or specific gravity, e.g. determining quantity of moisture (methods of measurement in general G01N9/02 - G01N9/32) · CPC title

• G01N33/2823 Primary

  Raw oil, drilling fluid or polyphasic mixtures · CPC title