Method of wellbore fluid recovery using centrifugal force
US6036870A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 17, 1998 |
| Grant date | Mar 14, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 17, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC E)Fixed Constructions
- CPC primaryE21B21/066
- WIPO fieldCivil engineering
- WIPO sectorOther fields
Abstract
A method for recovering a component from a wellbore fluid mixture has been invented that includes feeding a wellbore fluid mixture to a decanting centrifuge, the wellbore fluid containing at least one liquid component and undesirable solids; separating undesirable solids from the wellbore fluid mixture with the decanting centrifuge, producing an intermediate fluid containing the at least one liquid component and a reduced amount of the undesirable solids; and feeding the intermediate fluid to a secondary centrifuge, producing a final fluid containing the at least one liquid component and a further reduced amount of the undesirable solids. In certain aspects at least some of the undesirable solids are barite pieces, which in one aspect have a largest dimension of no more than 192 microns, and in one aspect wherein at least 50% or 99% of the barite pieces by weight are removed. Such a method is useful, in certain aspects, to separate undesirable solids have a largest dimension of at least 75 microns. In one aspect the method is useful to separate brine from a wellbore fluid.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.