Patent · US Expired

Drill cuttings handling apparatus

US7380617B1 · kind B1 · utility

11Cited by
3References
31Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateDec 6, 2005
Grant dateJun 3, 2008
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 27, 2026

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC E)Fixed Constructions
  • CPC primaryE21B21/066
  • WIPO fieldCivil engineering
  • WIPO sectorOther fields

Abstract

A drill cuttings handling system apparatus for use on an oil and gas drilling rig located on a drilling platform where the platform has drilling equipment that includes a system for circulating drilling mud through the borehole created by the drilling equipment that includes a drill cuttings shaker for removing drill cuttings from the circulating drilling mud and a drill cuttings collection trough. The drill cuttings handling system is comprised of a cyclone cuttings hopper, a vacuum pump, an engine and a solids pump. Conduit is attached to the cyclone cuttings hopper for delivering by vacuum flow a quantity of drill cuttings from the drill cuttings collection trough of the drilling mud system of the drilling rig to the cyclone cuttings hopper. Discharge conduit is connected to the solids pump to dispense drill cuttings from the solids pump to a desired location such as a cuttings box. Control means for detecting the level of cuttings in the system and remotely controlling the flow of cuttings into and out of the hopper by remote control of valves and/or pumps is utilized.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.