Air-driven degasser assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9528335-B2
Application number	US-201314101608-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 10, 2013
Priority date	May 20, 2013
Publication date	Dec 27, 2016
Grant date	Dec 27, 2016

Abstract

Degasser assemblies, systems and methods, including an air-driven degasser assembly that includes a degasser having a drive shaft with a seal that inhibits intrusion of ambient air and an air motor having a motor shaft that drives the drive shaft. The motor shaft is distinct from or integral to the drive shaft, and the air motor is positioned to direct air leakage around the motor shaft away from the seal.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An air-driven degasser assembly that comprises:
a degasser having a drive shaft with a seal that inhibits intrusion of ambient air; and
an air motor having a motor shaft that drives the drive shaft,
wherein the motor shaft is distinct from or integral to the drive shaft, and
wherein the air motor is positioned to direct air leakage around the motor shaft away from the seal and into the ambient air outside of the degasser assembly.

2. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the air motor includes a seal around the motor shaft, and wherein the air motor seal and the degasser seal are axially aligned.

3. The assembly of claim 2 , wherein the motor shaft is integral to the drive shaft.

4. The assembly of claim 2 , wherein the motor shaft is attached to the drive shaft with a coupler.

5. The assembly of claim 2 , wherein a separation between the seals is enclosed by a mesh or a ventilated cover to protect personnel while facilitating escape of the air leakage.

6. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the motor shaft and the drive shaft are transversely displaced and operatively coupled by a gear arrangement.

7. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the motor shaft and the drive shaft are transversely displaced and operatively coupled by a belt or a chain drive arrangement.

8. A drilling system that comprises:
a drillstring;
a casing within at least a portion of a borehole created by the drillstring;
a drilling fluid pump hydraulically coupled to the drillstring that pumps drilling fluid through the drillstring and between the drillstring and casing; and
an air-driven degasser assembly hydraulically coupled to the casing, the assembly comprising:
a degasser having a drive shaft with a seal that inhibits intrusion of ambient air; and
an air motor having a motor shaft that drives the drive shaft,
wherein the motor shaft is distinct from or integral to the drive shaft, and
wherein the air motor is positioned to direct air leakage around the motor shaft away from the seal and into the ambient air outside of the degasser assembly.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the air motor includes a seal around the motor shaft, and wherein the air motor seal and the degasser seal are axially aligned.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the motor shaft is integral to the drive shaft.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the motor shaft is attached to the drive shaft with a coupler.

12. The system of claim 9 , wherein a separation between the seals is enclosed by a mesh or a ventilated cover to protect personnel while facilitating escape of the air leakage.

13. The system of claim 8 , wherein the motor shaft and the drive shaft are transversely displaced and operatively coupled by a gear arrangement.

14. The system of claim 8 , wherein the motor shaft and the drive shaft are transversely displaced and operatively coupled by a belt or a chain drive arrangement.

15. A method for degassing borehole fluid, the method comprising:
passing borehole fluid through a degasser having a drive shaft with a seal that inhibits intrusion of ambient air;
driving the degasser with an air motor via a motor shaft that is distinct from or integral to the drive shaft; and
directing air leakage around the motor shaft away from the seal and into the ambient air outside of a degasser assembly, said degasser assembly comprising the degasser and the air motor.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein said directing includes venting the air leakage away via a gap between the degasser seal and an air motor seal.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the motor shaft is transversely displaced from the drive shaft, and wherein said driving is performed via a gear arrangement.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the motor shaft is transversely displaced from the drive shaft, and wherein said driving is performed via a chain or belt drive arrangement.

Assignees

• Halliburton Energy Services Inc

Inventors

• Henderson Matthew Hay
• Britton Charles Cutler
• Schexnaider Neil Patrick

Classifications

• B01D19/0026 Primary

  in rotating vessels or in vessels containing movable parts · CPC title

• E21B21/067 Primary

  Separating gases from drilling fluids · CPC title

• B01D19/0094

  by using a vortex, cavitation · CPC title

• E21B21/16 Primary

  using gaseous fluids (E21B21/14 takes precedence) · CPC title