Patent Publication Number: US-2013236286-A1

Title: Boat installation frame for transportation tanks

Description:
BACKGROUND OF DISCLOSURE 
     1. Field of the Disclosure 
     Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to an apparatus and method to lift and secure equipment to the surface of a supply vessel deck. More specifically, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to an apparatus and method to install, secure, and fill material storage units on a supply vessel deck. 
     2. Background Art 
     In the drilling of wells, a drill bit is used to dig many thousands of feet into the earth&#39;s crust. Oil rigs typically employ a derrick that extends above the well drilling platform or deck. The derrick supports joint after joint of drill pipe connected end-to-end during the drilling operation. As the drill bit is pushed further into the earth, additional pipe joints are added to the ever lengthening “string” or “drill string”. Therefore, the drill string typically includes a plurality of joints of pipe. 
     Fluid “drilling mud” is pumped from the well drilling platform, through the drill string, and to a drill bit supported at the lower or distal end of the drill string. The drilling mud lubricates the drill bit and carries away well cuttings generated by the drill bit as it digs deeper. The cuttings are carried in a return flow stream of drilling mud through the well annulus and back to the well drilling platform at the earth&#39;s surface. When the drilling mud reaches the platform, it is contaminated with small pieces of shale and rock that are known in the industry as well cuttings or drill cuttings. Once the drill cuttings, drilling mud, and other waste reach the platform, a “shale shaker” is typically used to remove the drilling mud from the drill cuttings so that the drilling mud may be reused. The remaining drill cuttings, waste, and residual drilling mud are then transferred to a holding trough or vessel for disposal. The drill cuttings are typically stored in large tanks or vessels on the drilling rig platform. These vessels may be large in size, and therefore, may require large spaces on the drilling rig. In some situations, for example with specific types of drilling mud, the drilling mud may not be reused and it must also be disposed. Typically, the non-recycled drilling mud is disposed of separate from the drill cuttings and other waste by transporting the drilling mud via a vessel to a disposal site. 
     The disposal of the drill cuttings and drilling mud is a complex environmental problem. Drill cuttings contain not only the residual drilling mud product that would contaminate the surrounding environment, but may also contain oil and other waste that is particularly hazardous to the environment, especially when drilling in a marine environment. Traditional methods of disposal include dumping, bucket transport, cumbersome conveyor belts, screw conveyors, and washing techniques that require large amounts of water. Adding water creates additional problems such as added volume, bulk, and transportation. Installing conveyors requires major modification to the rig area and involves extensive installation hours and expense. 
     Another method of disposal includes returning the drill cuttings, drilling mud, and/or other waste via injection under high pressure into an earth formation. Generally, the injection process involves preparation of a slurry within surface-based equipment and pumping the slurry into a well that extends relatively deep underground into a receiving stratum or adequate formation. Material to be injected back into a formation may be prepared into a slurry acceptable to high pressure pumps used in pumping material down a well. The particles are usually not uniform in size and density, thus making the slurrification process complex. If the slurry is not the correct density, the slurry often plugs circulating pumps. The abrasiveness of the material particles may also abrade or damage the pump impellers causing cracking. Some centrifugal pumps may be used for grinding the injection particles by purposely causing pump cavitations. 
     In some instances, the cuttings, which are still contaminated with some oil, are transported from a drilling rig to an offshore rig or ashore in the form of a thick heavy paste for injection into an earth formation. Typically, the material is transferred into special skips of about 10 ton capacity which are loaded by crane from the rig onto supply boats. This is a difficult and dangerous operation that may be laborious and expensive. 
     Further, space on offshore platforms may be limited. In addition to the storage and transfer of cuttings, many additional operations take place on a drilling rig, including tank cleaning, slurrification operations, drilling, chemical treatment operations, raw material storage, mud preparation, mud recycle, mud separations, and many others. Due to the limited space, it is common to modularize these operations and to swap out modules when not needed or when space is needed for the equipment. For example, cuttings containers may be offloaded from the rig to make room for modularized equipment used for tank cleaning operations. 
     In other drilling operations, cuttings containers may be offloaded from the rig to make room for environmental and/or drilling fluid recycling systems. Such systems may include a number of mixing, flocculating, and storage tanks to clean industrial wastewater produced during drilling or shipping operations. Slurrification systems that may be moved onto a rig are typically large modules that are fully self-contained, receiving cuttings from a drilling rig&#39;s fluid/mud recovery system. 
     The lifting operations required to swap modular systems, as mentioned above, may be difficult, dangerous, and expensive. Additionally, many of these modularized operations are self-contained, and therefore include redundant equipment, such as pumps, valves, and tanks or storage units. 
     Accordingly, there exists a continuing need for systems and methods for efficiently storing and transporting materials used in drilling operations. 
     SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     In one aspect, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a system to secure a storage unit on a supply vessel surface, the system including a first frame module having a first attachment mechanism configured to releasably engage with a second attachment mechanism of a second frame module and a first valve disposed on the first frame module, wherein the first valve is in fluid communication with a second valve disposed on the second frame module through a central flow pipe. The system also including a locking mechanism configured to releasably secure the storage unit to at least the first frame module and at least one flow conduit configured to provide fluid communication between the first valve and the storage unit. 
     In another aspect, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to an apparatus to secure a storage unit to a supply vessel surface, the apparatus including a first frame module having a first attachment mechanism configured to releasably connect to a second attachment mechanism of a second frame module, and a locking mechanism configured to releasably secure the storage unit to at least the first frame module, wherein at least the first frame module is configured to be removable. 
     In another aspect, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a method to fill a storage unit with a material, the method including attaching the storage unit to a removable frame assembly, locking the storage unit to the removable frame assembly, connecting a flow conduit from the frame assembly to the storage unit, and providing a flow of material between the flow conduit and the storage unit. 
     Other aspects and advantages will be apparent from the following description and the appended claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  shows an assembly view of a frame assembly in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  shows a component view of a female end of a frame assembly in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 3  shows a component view of a male end of a frame assembly in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 4  shows an assembly view of multiple frame assemblies connected in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 5  shows an assembly view of the installation of the storage units onto the frame assembly in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 6  shows an assembly view of a lifting point on a frame assembly in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 7A-7C  show system views of various arrangements of storage units and frame assemblies in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 8A  shows a component view of a pneumatic storage unit. 
         FIG. 8B  shows a component view a storage unit having a plurality of internal baffles. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to apparatus and methods to install and secure equipment on a supply vessel surface. More specifically, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to an apparatus and method to install, secure, and fill material storage units on a supply vessel deck. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a frame assembly  100  for securing storage units on a supply vessel surface in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. Frame assembly  100  includes frame modules  110 , locking mechanisms  116 , and bumper plates  118 . Frame assembly  100  also includes valves  122 , flow conduits  120 , and a main flow pipe  130 . Multiple frame modules  110  may be connected via an attachment mechanism (not shown) to form frame assembly  100 , which will be discussed in detail below. 
     Frame modules  110  may be fabricated using various methods known to those skilled in the art. In certain embodiments, frame modules  110  may be fabricated by welding, bolting, riveting, or connecting components in any other way known in the art. Further, materials and configurations of individual components may be varied according to the requirements of a given operation. Example configurations may include steel round tubing, square tubing, I-beams, etc. 
     Referring still to  FIG. 1 , various fluid flow equipment may be disposed on frame assembly  100 . As illustrated, main flow pipe  130  is mounted on frame module  110 , thereby connecting multiple valves  122 . Flow conduit  120 , extending from valve  122 , has a free end  121  configured to connect to storage supply equipment or other required equipment. In one embodiment of the present disclosure, valve  122  may be an R-valve used to divert a flow of material from one storage unit to another. In other embodiments, valve  122  may be any type of valve known to one of ordinary skill in the art, including, but not limited to globe valves, gate valves, butterfly valves, ball valves, etc. 
     In certain embodiments, valves  122  may be fully automated, and adjust according to fill sensors. Various fill sensors may be used including, but not limited to, level sensors, flow-rate sensors, conductivity sensors, and load-cell sensors. Further, valves  122  may be adjustable as a system, or individually adjustable as single units. Still further, valves  122  may be manually adjusted as seen appropriate by an operator. In alternate embodiments, valves  122  may be configured to divert the flow of material from one storage unit to the next. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3  together, a female end  113  and a male guide  114 , respectively, of attachment mechanism of frame module  110  are shown in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown in  FIG. 2 , female end  113  of the attachment mechanism includes a locking pin  115 . Referring to  FIG. 3 , a male guide  114  of the attachment mechanism of frame module  110  is shown. Frame modules  110  may include a first end having the female end  113  and an opposite end having the male guide  114 . Frame modules  110  may be connected end-to-end by releasably engaging male guide  114  of a first frame module  110  with female end  113  of a second frame module and locking the frame modules together with locking pin  115 . While male guide  114  releasably engaged with female end  113  is contemplated, it will be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art that alternative means or configurations of connecting frame modules  110  may be used. 
     In certain embodiments, frame modules  110  may include only female ends  113  on both ends or only male guides  114  on both ends. In such a configuration, frame modules  110  may be arranged so as to alternate having a frame module  110  with females ends  113  connected to a frame module  110  with male guides  114 , and continue on in this way alternating with as many frame modules as are required. In further embodiments, attachment mechanisms may includes a sliding lock, ratchet mechanisms, etc. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 4 , a frame assembly  100  in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. Multiple frame assemblies  100  (from  FIG. 1 ) are shown fastened end-to-end to form a larger frame assembly capable of connecting multiple storage units as needed. Depending on the size of the supply vessel, or number of storage units needed, a person of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that any number of frame modules  110  for a required operation may be connected to one another. For example, larger operations may require more storage units or larger storage units to store fluids, which may require more frame assemblies for attachment. 
     Now referring to  FIG. 5 , storage units  150  secured to a frame assembly  100  in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure are shown. After completing frame assembly  100 , attachment straps  140  are measured and secured to storage units  150  providing extra support. Attachment straps  140  may be secured to the frame assembly  100  with any locking device known to a person having ordinary skill in the art, including, but not limited to, bolts, screws, rivets, etc. Storage units  150  are then secured to frame assembly  100  with locking mechanism  116 , and flow conduit  120  may be connected to storage unit  150 . Locking mechanism  116  may be of any design known to one of ordinary skill in the art, including, but not limited to, automated locks, manual locks, etc. Further, bumper plates  118  are provided to prevent damage to valves  122  and flow conduits  120  when joining storage units  150  with frame assembly  100 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 6 , lifting points  160  for frame assembly  100  are shown in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure. Bumper plates  118  may have lifting points  160 , such that lifting equipment (e.g., cranes) may be attached. Lifting points may be configured as hook lift holes, shackles, etc., for attaching a hook or wire sling to, such that frame assembly  100  may be removable. 
     Installation of the frame assembly  100  from  FIG. 1  may be performed by lifting the individual frame modules  110  onto a supply vessel deck by inserting a hook (not illustrated) into a lifting point or by connecting a wire sling through a shackle in the frame module  110 . Next, frame modules  110  may be attached to one another via an attachment mechanism, wherein a male guide is inserted into a female end and secured in place with a locking pin. Once frame modules  110  are secured together, fluid equipment, including valves, flow conduits, and a main flow pipe, may be attached to the storage units. Attachment straps may be secured to the storage units prior to lifting them onto frame assembly  100  for added support. Finally, the storage units may be secured to the frame assembly with a locking mechanism. In this way, storage units may be arranged and secured to the supply vessel deck. 
     In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the frame assembly may be configured to secure the storage units on a boat deck surface, offshore rig surface, or land surface. Further, the frame assembly may be configured to allow for filling storage units in multiple positions, including a vertical and horizontal position. To compensate for various positions of the storage units, the flow conduit may be expandable and flexible to provide for the different lengths needed to connect to the storage units at various positions. Flexible flow conduits may also provide for the efficient filling of various sizes of storage units, such as may be used in a single drilling operation. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 7A-7C , various arrangements of storage units  150  attached to a frame assembly  100  in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure are shown.  FIG. 7A  shows an alternating arrangement of storage units  150  as attached down both sides of frame assembly  100 .  FIG. 7B  shows an arrangement of storage units  150  down a second side of frame assembly  100 . In this embodiment, flow conduits  120  have been rotated  180  degrees from their normal position to connect to storage units  150  on the second side. In one embodiment, the flow conduits may be configured to rotate 360 degrees to allow for alternate arrangements and connections to storage units  100 . Finally,  FIG. 7C  shows an alternate embodiment in which two main flow pipes  130  connect to rows of storage units  150  down both sides of the frame assembly  100 . Embodiments of various storage unit arrangements may allow for a greater number of storage units  150  to be used at once, as well as to maximize the use of space available on a supply vessel deck. Furthermore, various arrangements may provide solutions to balancing the weight on the deck of a supply vessel once loaded. 
     Still further, in alternate embodiments of the present disclosure, frame assembly  100  may be configured to attach to the supply vessel surface to further prevent movement of the assembly. “Sea fastening” mechanisms for frame assembly  100  may include pre-existing tie downs on the deck surface, attachment straps, chains, etc. The sea fastening mechanisms may be attached to the storage unit and to the deck surface byway of special hooks or holes on the deck surface of the supply vessel. The added security from the sea fastening mechanisms may be provided for use during rough weather conditions or as otherwise seen appropriate by a person skilled in the art. 
     Embodiments of the present disclosure may also include various configurations for transportation and containment of fluids. Referring to  FIG. 8A , in certain embodiments, a pneumatic storage vessel  800  may have an angled lower section  802  configured to achieve mass flow of the material in the pneumatic storage vessel  800 . In one embodiment, angled lower section  802  may include one conical angle. An exemplary pneumatic storage vessel  800  is an ISO-PUMPS commercially available from M-I, LLC (Houston, Tex.). Pneumatic storage vessels  800  may be used in the containment and transport of drill cuttings, for example, to provide temporary rig storage of drill cuttings prior to a re-injection operation. Further, pneumatic storage vessels  800  may be used for boat transport and land transport of cuttings, and may then be used to discharge cuttings into the final disposal or recycling process. Pneumatic storage vessel  800  may be a stainless steel pressure vessel housed in a standard ISO-container-sized frame. Discharge of the pneumatic storage vessel is pneumatic, requiring a compressed air supply. To discharge, the vessel is pressurized, an outlet valve (not shown) opened, and the contents discharged. Fluid equipment, including the main flow pipe, flow conduits, and valves may be configured to allow for pneumatic transfer of material as described above. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 8B , alternate embodiments may be configured to work with other storage units  850  having various configurations. One such storage unit  850  may have an angled lower section  852  having a plurality of internal baffles  854  for directing a flow of drill solids to a specific one of outlets  856 . For example, as drill solids are transferred into storage unit  852 , the drill solids may be divided into a plurality of discrete streams, such that a certain volume of drill solids are discharged through each of the plurality of outlets  856 . Thus, storage unit  850  having a plurality of baffles  854 , each corresponding to one of outlets  856 , may increase the efficiency of discharging drill solids from storage unit  850 . 
     To facilitate the transfer of material from the storage units to a supply vessel or between storage units, in one embodiment, the storage unit may be pressurized. In such an embodiment, a pressurized storage unit may store non-free flowing material, for example, cuttings. In this embodiment, a pneumatic transfer device may be coupled to the storage unit. Pneumatic transfer devices may include, for example, a cuttings blower and pneumatic transfer lines, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,698,989, 6,702,539, and 6,709,216, hereby incorporated by reference herein. However, those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that other methods for transferring cuttings to storage units may include augers, conveyors, and vacuum suction. 
     In still further embodiments of the present disclosure, with the frame assembly installed on a drilling rig, the main flow pipe providing fluid communication between all storage units may be connected to a loading hose that is connected to a supply vessel. The supply vessel may have another frame assembly with storage units installed on the surface to receive fluids from the drilling rig, thereby preventing the offloading of storage units from the drilling rig. This may advantageously increase the efficiency and speed at which operations may occur, as well as reduce the risk of spills or injury to personnel from lifting. 
     The loading hose described above may be connected directly to an end of the main flow pipe, or may be connected via a TILT TABLE (commercially available from M-I, LLC, Houston, Tex.), which is a device which may provide a safer and easier connection method for the loading hose. The TILT TABLE is attached to either side or the stern of a vessel. During connection, a flange of the loading hose is guided onto the TILT TABLE and secured quickly using latching handles, and moved, via a hydraulic jack, to its connection position. 
     Embodiments of the present disclosure may provide advantages when securing storage units to the deck of a supply vessel. When installing tanks for cuttings or other material on the deck of a supply boat, the installation time may be costly due to welding and transportation of equipment parts that are assembled on the deck. The size of the equipment may require large areas for storage and high maintenance both on the boat and in the yard. Embodiments of the present disclosure may reduce labor intense manual handling of cutting transfer equipment by providing pre-installed frame modules that may be quickly located and attached together. 
     Furthermore, preinstalled frame modules that may be quickly located and attached together may reduce the manual handling of the frames, thereby reducing risk to personnel on the deck. Further, the attachment mechanism between the frame modules may reduce installation and assembly time, thereby increasing the overall efficiency of a waste management operation. Embodiments of the present disclosure may also help to organize the storage units on the deck of the supply vessel, thereby eliminating wasted space. 
     Finally, embodiments of the present disclosure may be retrofitted to older equipment or structures, including rigs and supply vessels. Because of the ease with which the frame modules attach together, they may be lifted onto a rig or supply vessel and quickly attached, providing a reliable attachment for storage units. Frame assemblies in accordance with embodiments disclosed herein may also be installed when retrofitting older oil rigs and supply vessels, thereby reducing overall costs. 
     While the invention has been described with respect to a limited number of embodiments, those skilled in the art, having benefit of this disclosure, will appreciate that other embodiments can be devised which do not depart from the scope of the invention as disclosed herein. Accordingly, the scope of the invention should be limited only by the attached claims.