Apparatus and method for the disposition of drilling solids during drilling of subsea oilfield wellbores
US6527054B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 14, 2000 |
| Grant date | Mar 4, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 16, 2020 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T137/794
- WIPO fieldCivil engineering
- WIPO sectorOther fields
Abstract
This invention provides apparatus and methods for controlling the particle size of the solid mass present in the circulating drilling fluid returning from an underwater wellhead during the drilling of a subsea wellbore. The system may include a separator at the sea floor adjacent the wellhead, which separates solids above a predetermined size from the wellstream. The wellstream then enters one or more underwater pumps, which pump the wellstream to the surface. A crusher, as a separate unit, integrated in the separator or in the pump, receives the separated solids and reduces them to relatively small-sized particles. The small particles are then pumped or moved to the surface by the pumps utilized for pumping the wellstream to the surface or by a separate underwater pump. Alternatively, the separated solids are collected from the separator into a container, which container is then transported to the surface by a suitable method. Solids reaching the surface are removed to obtain filtered fluid, which after conditioning by conventional methods is pumped back into the wellbore as the drilling fluid.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.