Separation apparatus for a gas component from spent drilling mud

A method of using a separation apparatus, the separation apparatus including a fluid chamber and an inlet to the fluid chamber for receiving a gas component of spent drilling mud. The separation apparatus can also include an outlet for directing a purified gas out of the fluid chamber and a splash plate disposed in the fluid chamber adjacent to the inlet to force the gas component of the spent drilling mud downward in the fluid chamber. Furthermore, the separation apparatus includes at least one separation plate having a plurality of holes disposed therein positioned between the splash plate and the outlet to separate the purified gas from the gas component of the spent drilling mud.

Not applicable.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

1. Field of the Invention

The present disclosure relates to a separation apparatus for separating a gas component of spent drilling mud into various components/phases present in the gas component of the spent drilling mud.

2. Description of the Related Art

Wells for recovering oil, gas and the like regularly have to process spent drilling fluids recovered from the well. A gas component can be separated from the spent drilling fluids to be sent to a flare stack to be burned off. Typically, this gas component will include moisture and other components that are harmful to the flare stack.

Accordingly, there is a need for an apparatus that can process the gas component of the spent drilling fluids so that a more pure gas component can be provided to the flare stack.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

The disclosure of this application is directed to a separation apparatus that includes a fluid chamber and an inlet to the fluid chamber for receiving a gas component of spent drilling mud. The separation apparatus can also include an outlet for directing a purified gas out of the fluid chamber and a splash plate disposed in the fluid chamber adjacent to the inlet to force the gas component of the spent drilling mud downward in the fluid chamber. Furthermore, the separation apparatus includes at least one separation plate having a plurality of holes disposed therein positioned between the splash plate and the outlet to separate the purified gas from the gas component of the spent drilling mud. The disclosure is also directed toward a method of using the separation apparatus.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE

Referring toFIGS. 1-4, there is shown a separation apparatus10for removing a small fluid component contained in a gas component that is present in spent drilling mud to create a purified gas component. In one embodiment, the separation apparatus10can be a catch tank that processes the gas component from the spent drilling mud to remove the small fluid component prior to directing the flow of the purified gas component to a flare stack. The purified gas component can be a combination of air and gaseous hydrocarbons.

The separation apparatus10includes a fluid chamber12for collecting the gas component of the spent drilling mud, an inlet14for delivering the gas component of the spent drilling mud to the fluid chamber12and a gas outlet16for transporting the purified gas component of the gas component of the spent drilling mud away from the fluid chamber12. The inlet14and the gas outlet16can be positioned anywhere on the fluid chamber12such that the purified gas component of the gas component of the spent drilling mud can be efficiently separated from the gas component of the spent drilling mud. In one embodiment, the inlet14is positioned on an upper portion of a first end18of the fluid chamber12and the gas outlet16is positioned on an upper portion of the second end20of the fluid chamber12. It should be understood that in addition to the first end18and the second end20, the fluid chamber12includes a first side22, a second side24, a bottom side26and a top side28.

The separation apparatus10further includes a diffuser apparatus30positioned adjacent to the inlet14of the fluid chamber12to disperse the gas component of the spent drilling mud entering the fluid chamber12. The diffuser apparatus30can be suspended from the inside of the top side28of the fluid chamber12or it can be supported from the inside of the bottom side26of the fluid chamber12. The diffuser apparatus30can include multiple vertically and/or horizontally disposed rod elements32to contact the small fluid component that may be in the gas component of the spent drilling mud and disperse the small fluid component. The rod elements32can have any shape desirable such that they are capable of dispersing the small fluid component. The rod elements32can be solid or tubular and have any cross-sectional shape known in the art, such as a circle, a square, any polygon having five or more sides, a triangle, a rectangle, and the like. In another embodiment, the rod elements32can be lengths of angle iron.

In another embodiment, the gas component of the spent drilling mud that is forced through the diffuser apparatus30contacts a splash plate33that forces the gas component of the spent drilling mud downward into the fluid chamber12. A portion of the small fluid component adheres to the splash plate33, collects there and then drips therefrom down into the fluid chamber12. Similar to the diffuser apparatus30, the splash plate33can be suspended vertically from the inside of the top side28of the fluid chamber12or it can be supported from the inside of the bottom side26of the fluid chamber12.

Referring now toFIGS. 4-5, the separation apparatus10further includes a filtering apparatus34disposed adjacent to the gas outlet16to prevent everything except the purified gas component of the gas component of the spent drilling mud to enter the gas outlet16. The filtering apparatus34can be suspended from the inside of the top side28of the fluid chamber12or supported from the inside of the bottom side26of the fluid chamber12. In another embodiment, the filtering apparatus34can be supported by the inside of the second end20of the fluid chamber12. In yet another embodiment, the filtering apparatus34is supported by the inside of the second end20of the fluid chamber12by extension elements36that position the filtering apparatus34a predetermined distance off the inside of the second end20of the fluid chamber12. This predetermined distance allows the purified gas component of the gas component of the spent drilling mud to flow between the filtering apparatus34and the inside portion of the second side20of the fluid chamber12. In a further embodiment, the filtering apparatus34is sized such that it is larger than the diameter of the gas outlet16.

In one embodiment, the filtering apparatus34includes a plate38of material that only allows the gas component to enter the gas outlet16by passing between the filtering apparatus34and the inside portion of the second side20of the fluid chamber12. In a further embodiment, the filtering apparatus34can include a filter portion40disposed within the plate38and adjacent to the gas outlet16. The filter portion40can be designed in any manner so the purified gas component of the gas component of the spent drilling mud can pass through the filter portion40and into the gas outlet16while preventing any other components of the gas component of the spent drilling mud from passing therethrough. The filter portion40of the filtering apparatus34can be made of stainless wire mesh.

The separation apparatus10further includes at least one separation plate42disposed inside the fluid chamber12to breaking foam that may be present in the gas component of the spent drilling mud due to a soap injection into the well during a drilling operation. The separation plates42have holes44which provide a mechanism for the purified gas component of the foam present in the fluid chamber12delivered from the inlet14to pass upward therethrough as the bubbles in the foam burst. The purified gas component present in the bubbles in the foam then escapes the fluid chamber12via the gas outlet16.

The separation plates42are suspended in the fluid chamber12between the splash plate33and the second end20of the fluid chamber12. Each separation plate42has a first end46disposed adjacent to the splash plate33, a second end48disposed adjacent to the second end20of the fluid chamber12, a first side50disposed adjacent to the first side22of the fluid chamber12and a second side52disposed adjacent to the second side24of the fluid chamber12. The separation plates42can extend from the first side22of the fluid chamber12to the second side24of the fluid chamber12.

In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the separation plates42are angled downward in the fluid chamber12as the separation plates42extend from the first end46of the separation plates42toward the second end48of the separation plates42. The downward angle of the separation plates42positions the separation plates42between the bottom portion of the fluid chamber12and the gas outlet16. This placement of the separation plates42forces the gas component of the spent drilling mud that is forced downward in the fluid chamber12via the splash plate33to have to contact the separation plates42before passing out of the fluid chamber12via the gas outlet16. In another embodiment, the fluid chamber12can have multiple separation plates42and the size of the holes44in the separation plates42can vary depending upon the design parameters of the desired fluid chamber12.

In yet another embodiment, each separation plate42includes a removable plate portion54disposed therein.FIGS. 4 and 6show the plates42wherein the removable plate portion54has been withdrawn from the fluid chamber12. The removable plate portion54can be removed so that an individual can remove the removable plate portion54and gain convenient access to the internal portion of the fluid chamber12via an access port56disposed in the top side28of the fluid chamber12. The removable plate portions54also allow for varying the size of the holes44disposed in the separation plates42by changing out the removable plate portions54. The removable plate portion54can be supported within the separation plates42and held in place by any manner known in the art.

In one embodiment, the gas chamber12can also include a secondary outlet58to remove any remaining components of the gas component of the spent drilling mud separated from the purified gas component. The secondary outlet58can be a clean out line wherein a vacuum truck can be hooked up to suck out any materials that have built up in the bottom of the fluid chamber12. Additionally, the separation apparatus10can include a tertiary outlet60for the removal of fluid from the fluid chamber12. The tertiary outlet60can be operated via a float system that automatically opens the tertiary outlet60when the fluid in the fluid chamber12gets above a predetermined depth. In yet another embodiment, the separation apparatus10can include a relief outlet62for the removal of fluid from the fluid chamber12if the fluid chamber12received too much fluid in too short of a time frame.

From the above description, it is clear that the present disclosure is well adapted to carry out the objectives and to attain the advantages mentioned herein as well as those inherent in the disclosure. While presently preferred embodiments have been described herein, it will be understood that numerous changes may be made which will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art and which are accomplished within the spirit of the disclosure and claims.