Patent Abstract:
Dry earthen material from an oil/gas well drilling rig is injected into an elongated vessel with a number of rings of nozzles that are arranged in conjunction with a number of water and/or chemical spray nozzles and a baffling system to knock the air/gas out of the cuttings and vent it. A relatively thick muddy waste is produced which may be easily disposed of.

Full Description:
This application claims priority from U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/183,766, filed on Jun. 3, 2009, which is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to the processing of the cuttings when drilling for hydrocarbons using a gaseous drilling fluid. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     It is well known there are many methods in the area of processing for ‘normal’ oil &amp; gas well earthen and drilling fluid laden drilling mud when using a liquid drilling fluid. However, far fewer methods are known in the field of processing the dry drilling cuttings generated when using gaseous drilling fluids, while using a wet cuttings treatment process to dispose of them. 
     However, certain drilling applications require that all or part of an oil and gas well be drilled with compressed air or other gaseous drilling fluid, say for example, nitrogen or natural gas, used as the lifting medium for the drilled cuttings 
     An air/gas discharge pipe  15  typically called a “Blooie Line” is typically attached to the well head blow out preventer  13  for venting the returning air/gas/drilled cuttings mixture at a distance from the drilling rig site for either discharge or flaring purposes. 
     When discharging only, the material is sent to an earthen pit for collection of the discard. Environmental regulations have precluded the use of earthen pits in some areas and in others, a drive to reduce location size has prompted oil and gas operators to seek alternative solutions for containing, collecting and managing this discard stream. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A pressure rated collection vessel “mud/gas separator” may be employed to segregate the air/gas stream from the solids. The vessel is fitted with specially designed ‘quench’ nozzles which allows for the capture of returning solids within the vessel and return of these solids into the traditional drilling rig fluid process system. Air and gas exit the vessel from another port and are diverted to a flare/containment box. 
     In particular, what is disclosed herein is an elongate, vertically mounted and generally cylindrical vessel for processing dry earthen drilling cuttings from an earth boring operation. The vessel separates the cuttings into a liquid slurry and gas, using nozzles in fluid communication with a multiple number of fluid supply rings mounted inside. 
     Each fluid supply ring has a number of injection nozzles spaced around the inside circumference of the vessel between its upper end and its lower end to wet the earthen drilling cuttings so that gravity aids the separation into the liquid slurry and the gas. 
     Preferably, each fluid supply ring is separately and independently supplied with a flushing fluid, although various manifold schemes may also be utilized to interconnect them. The vessel may have different numbers and sizes of nozzles and also different numbers of rings. In addition, a variety of quench fluids may be used, but in particular, water may be preferred. A typical flow rate for a typical nozzle for this type of vessel using water as the quenching agent would be, for example, 60 to 85 GPM at 35-45 PSI, per nozzle. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic representation of a drill rig in operation where the separator system of the present invention may be used. 
         FIG. 2  is an elevation view of a typical mud/gas separator of the present invention showing a typical ‘two quench ring’ configuration, and a portion of the exterior plumbing. 
         FIG. 3  is a cross-section elevation view of a typical mud/gas separator of the present invention showing an internal arrangement with two quench rings of nozzles, and the baffles and the internal plumbing of the separator of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a cross section view of a typical mud/gas separator of the present invention showing a typical internal arrangement with three rings of nozzles. 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic diagram illustrating the plumbing arrangement for supplying flushing fluid to the nozzles. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       FIG. 1  shows a drill rig which uses air or other gaseous fluids to flush the drilled cuttings to the surface. The rig typically comprises a mast  4  (sometimes called a derrick) which suspends a drill string  2  in a well bore  6 . Downhole tools  8  may be in the drill string  2  for making measurements and the like, and finally includes a drill bit  10  which performs the actual drilling. An air supply line  12  provides gaseous drilling fluid under pressure to flush cuttings from the drill bit  10  up the annulus of the well bore  6  and out a discharge line  15 , commonly known as a “Blouie line”. The “Blouie line”  15  carries the earth cuttings to a generally cylindrical treatment vessel  16 . 
     In one aspect of the invention multiple ‘rings’  14  having a plurality of injection nozzles  18  spaced around the inside circumference near the top end of the treatment vessel  16 . The vessel  16  is typically mounted on its end so that gravity aids the separation process. Each ring  14  may be separately and independently supplied with a flushing fluid, typically water. Although typically supplied to groups of rings  14 , the supply to each ring may be adjusted independently, as will be described. 
     Each ring  14  may have multiple injection nozzles  18 , but preferably has four injection nozzles  18  each, at preferably about 90° spacing, but they may also be located in other intervals. The nozzles  18  capture or ‘quench’ the solids coming from the ‘Blooie Line’  15 . Two sets of rings  14  may be used as illustrated in  FIG. 3 , or three sets of rings, as illustrated in  FIG. 4 . 
     The injection nozzles  18  may typically be  2  inches in diameter and may be fitted with steel bars (not shown) to shape the fluid trajectory for better distribution within the vessel. 
     For the nozzles  18  as illustrated, an optimum flow rate is 60-85 gallons per minute per nozzle at 35-40 psi. However, it is anticipated that larger vessels may require higher flow rates. 
     One or more additional spray nozzles  20  at the bottom of the tank may be used to agitate the solids that settle to the bottom of the vessel. 
     Air, and possibly gas as well, in addition to the drilled cuttings enter the vessel  16  through a pipe  22  attached to the ‘Blooie line’  15  at rig&#39;s well head. 
     Water and/or chemicals are injected through the nozzles  18  via a series of hydraulic hoses  24  fitted to a 4-inch vertical pipe column (not shown) and fed by one or more centrifugal pumps  28 . The pumps  28  may supply the water and/or chemicals through a manifold system  30  of plumbing  36  and valves  40 . 
     The injected water and/or chemicals creates a ‘blanket’ of liquids which prevents the solids from exiting with the air/gas mixture through exhaust pipe  34 . 
     The ‘quenched’ solids flow over a series of baffles  32  within the vessel  16  and collect at the bottom. 
     The nozzle  20  at the bottom of the vessel  16  is used to agitate the solids that have settled during the quench process. This nozzle  20  may be used with drilling mud, water, chemicals or air. 
     The liquid and solids flow by gravity from the vessel  16  into a conventional and well known drilling fluid processing system, whereby the solids are removed via a separate and sequential solids control system and the fluid returned to the rig for use again. 
     During operation, a semi-static ‘mud ring’ or fluid level in the vessel  16  prevents discharge of the air/gas mixture from the bottom and forces it to the top of the vessel  16 ; thence to a flare box (not illustrated) which may be necessary if natural gas is mixed with the cuttings. 
     Periodic surges in pressure caused by the ‘bleed off’ slightly alter the fluid height within the vessel and surge or flush the fluid from the vessel  16 . This feature prevents the solids from settling within the vessel  16 , thus eliminating the need for dismantling or cleaning while in use. 
     This system works well in cases where the rigs drilling penetration rate has exceeded 300 feet per hour (fph) with a 6.875 inch diameter drill bit. Air process rates may be 1800 cfm or higher in this scenario. 
     When the rig converts from gas circulation to drilling fluid circulation, the vessel  16  can be used as a traditional mud/gas separator 
     Whereas the present invention has been described in particular relation to the drawings attached hereto, it should be understood that other and further modifications apart from those shown or suggested herein, may be made within the scope and spirit of the present invention.

Technology Classification (CPC): 1