MAGNETIC METAL EXTRACTOR FROM DRILLING FLUID
An exemplary apparatus for removing metallic debris from a drilling fluid is provided that includes a first end member, a second end member, and one or more elongated members extending between the first end member and the second end member. The elongated members may each include at least one magnet. Drilling fluid may flow past the elongated members, which may be located in a drilling fluid cleansing machine such as a shale shaker, so that metallic debris in the drilling fluid, if any exist, are attracted by the magnets in the elongated members. Some of the metallic debris may adhere to an exterior surface of the elongated members so that the metallic debris are removed from the drilling fluid. The metallic debris can then be removed from the exterior surface of the elongated members.
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Pursuant to 35 U.S.C. §119(e), this application claims priority from, and hereby incorporates by reference for all purposes, U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/914,311, entitled “Magnetic Metal Extractor From Drilling Fluid,” filed Dec. 10, 2013 and naming John W. White as an inventor.
TECHNICAL FIELDThis disclosure relates in general to removing debris from drilling fluid and, in particular, but not by way of limitation, to extracting metal debris from drilling fluid.
BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSUREDrilling fluid, also known as “drilling mud,” is used in oil and gas drilling operations to perform many tasks, such as cooling and lubricating equipment and removing debris from the wellbore. In a drilling operation, drilling fluid is pumped into the wellbore where it collects debris and cools and lubricates equipment, such as the drill head. Then, the drilling fluid is recirculated to the top of the wellbore to carry debris that are suspended in the drilling fluid to the top of the wellbore. The debris that are removed from the wellbore by the drilling fluid may include any type of unwanted material and often include rock and other geological features that have been cut by the drill head, often called “cuttings.”
Drilling fluid may be reused and recirculated to reduce the cost of a drilling operation. The equipment through which the drilling fluid is recirculated, such as, for example, high pressure pumps and drill heads, can be damaged or rapidly worn if the drilling fluid includes residual debris from the wellbore. In order to minimize this type of damage, used drilling fluid is cleaned soon after it is removed from the wellbore and before it enters sensitive equipment. Used drilling fluid is often cleaned using dedicated drilling fluid cleansing equipment, such as shale shakers, by passing the used drilling fluid through one or more screens or other cleansing mechanisms to separate the debris from the drilling fluid. Unfortunately, this equipment often does not remove all debris from the drilling fluid and some debris may remain in the drilling fluid as it is recirculated. For example, small metal debris, such as metal shavings, may enter the drilling fluid as a result of contact between a drill string and the walls of the wellbore while the drill string is rotating or while the drill string is inserted into, or removed from, the wellbore. In the case of horizontal drilling, small metal debris may result if the drill string contacts the walls of the wellbore in the area of curvature of the wellbore as the wellbore transitions from a vertical wellbore to a horizontal wellbore. Metal debris that result from these and other drilling operations are often too small to remove from the drilling fluid using traditional drilling fluid cleansing mechanisms. Unfortunately, these small metal debris can also be very damaging to drilling equipment, such as high pressure pumps, as the used drilling fluid is recirculated.
SUMMARYIn a first aspect, there is provided an apparatus for removing metal debris from a drilling fluid, such as, for example, metal debris that have not been removed by other dedicated drilling fluid cleansing equipment. The apparatus may include a first end member, a second end member and two or more elongated members extending between the first end member and the second end member. The elongated members may each include a magnet.
In some embodiments, the elongated members have a rectangular cross sectional shape, a circular cross sectional shape or a triangular cross sectional shape.
In other embodiments, the first end member and the second end member are cylindrical.
In certain embodiments, the apparatus includes three elongated members.
In some embodiments, the apparatus includes four elongated members.
In another embodiment, the elongated members are equally spaced radially around a central axis of the end members.
In other embodiments, the elongated members have an interior channel and the magnet is located in the interior channel.
In certain embodiments, the interior channel is sealed.
In other embodiments, the interior channel is sealed by the end members that are coupled to ends of the elongated members.
In some embodiments, the interior channel includes a magnet and an adhesive.
In another embodiment, the adhesive includes an epoxy.
In yet another embodiment, the epoxy is an epoxy 50-3185.
In still another embodiment, the interior channel further includes a catalyst.
In certain embodiments, the catalyst is a catalyst number 190.
In other embodiments, each of the elongated members includes a plurality of magnets.
In yet another embodiment, the elongated members include one or more rows of magnets.
In still another embodiment, the elongated members include two rows of magnets.
In certain embodiments, the magnets are a neodymium iron boron magnets.
In other embodiments, a distance between the end members is slightly less than the width of a trough of a drilling fluid cleansing machine.
In a second aspect, there is provided a method of removing metallic debris from a drilling fluid. The method may include flowing at least some of the drilling fluid past a first elongated member to attract at least some of the metallic debris from the drilling fluid to the first elongated member and flowing at least some of the drilling fluid past a second elongated member to attract at least some of the metallic debris to the second elongated member. The first elongated member and the second elongated member may be magnetic.
In certain embodiments, the method includes flowing at least some of the drilling fluid between the first elongated member and the second elongated member.
In other embodiments, the method includes flowing at least some of the drilling fluid past a third elongated member to attract at least some of the metallic debris to the third elongated member.
In another embodiment, the method includes flowing at least some of the drilling fluid between the first elongated member, the second elongated member and the third elongated member.
In yet another embodiment, the method includes locating the first elongated member and the second elongated member in a drilling fluid cleansing machine.
In still another embodiment, the method includes locating the first and second elongated members in a flow path of the drilling fluid in the drilling fluid cleansing machine.
In some embodiments, the method includes locating the first and second elongated members in the flow path of the drilling fluid between a screen and an outlet of the drilling fluid cleansing machine.
In another embodiment, the method includes flowing at least some of the drilling fluid between a first end member and a second end member that are coupled to the first and second elongated members.
In certain embodiments, the method includes contacting at least some of the metallic debris to an exterior surface of the first elongated member or an exterior surface of the second elongated member.
In other embodiments, the method includes removing at least some of the metallic debris from the exterior surface of the first or second elongated members.
In a third aspect, there is provided an apparatus for cleansing drilling fluid that includes an inlet to receive the drilling fluid, a separating mechanism to remove large debris from the drilling fluid and an outlet to expel the cleansed drilling fluid from which at least some of the large debris have been removed. The apparatus may include a flow path of the drilling fluid between the inlet and the outlet that passes through the separation mechanism. A first elongated member and a second elongated member may be located in the flow path and may magnetically attract at least some metallic debris from the drilling fluid.
In certain embodiments, the first elongated member and the second elongated member are located in the flow path between the separating mechanism and the outlet.
In other embodiments, the first elongated member and the second elongated member are removably positioned in the flow path.
In another embodiment, the first elongated member and the second elongated member are movably suspended in the flow path.
In yet another embodiment, the first elongated member and the second elongated member are movably suspended in a trough that is in the flow path.
In a fourth aspect, there is provided a method of manufacturing an apparatus to remove metallic debris from a drilling fluid that includes providing a first elongated member; providing a second elongated member; placing a first magnet in the first elongated member and sealing the first elongated member; and placing a second magnet in the second elongated member and sealing the second elongated member.
In certain embodiments, sealing the first magnet in the first elongated member and sealing the second magnet in the second elongated member includes coupling a first ends of the first and second elongated members to a first end member and coupling a second end of the first and second elongated members to a second end member.
In other embodiments, the method includes creating a first opening in the first end member and a second opening in the second end member.
In another embodiment, the method includes coupling a cord to the first and second opening. The cord may be configured to movably suspend the first and second elongated members.
In yet another embodiment, the method includes inserting epoxy into an interior channel of the first and second elongated member.
In still another embodiment, the method includes inserting a catalyst into the interior channel of the first and second elongated members.
In some embodiments, the method includes placing a plurality of magnets in the first and second elongated members.
In another embodiment, the method includes aligning the plurality of magnets into one or more rows in each elongated member.
In certain embodiments, the magnets are neodymium iron boron magnets.
Other aspects, features, and advantages will become apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which are a part of this disclosure and which illustrate, by way of example, principles of the inventions disclosed.
The accompanying drawings facilitate an understanding of the various embodiments.
In some embodiments, the first and second end members 102 and 104 are located in a spaced apart relationship to allow drilling fluid to pass therebetween. As will be explained in more detail below, a distance between the end members 102 and 104 may be slightly less than the width of an outlet of a drilling fluid cleansing apparatus (see e.g., outlet 606 of drilling fluid cleansing apparatus 600 of
While the first and second end members 102 and 104 are cylindrical in the embodiment shown in
The end members 102 and 104 may be made of a metal material or any other suitable material, such as, for example, a plastic material or a composite material. In addition, the end members 102 and 104 may be magnetic or non-magnetic. For example, in some embodiments, the first and second end members 102 and 104 are made of a magnetized metal material. In other embodiments, the end members 102 and 104 include one or more magnets (see, e.g., magnets 402 in
The elongated members 106 extend between the first and second end members 102 and 104 and are configured to exert a magnetic force on metallic debris that pass in the vicinity of the elongated members 106. The elongated members 106 may be made of any suitable material, such as a metal material, and may each include an internal channel (see e.g., internal channels 404 in
In some embodiments, the magnetic force applied by the apparatus 100 is determined by the number of magnets 404 included in the apparatus 100. Thus, in some embodiments the total number of magnets 404 is increased to increase the magnetic force of the apparatus 100. In some embodiments, the total number of magnets 404 is increased by increasing the number of elongated members 106 that contain magnets 404 in the apparatus 100. In other embodiments, the number of magnets 404 is decreased to lower the total magnetic force of the apparatus 100 for applications in which a lower magnetic force is desired. In other embodiments, the magnetic force of the apparatus 100 is altered by selecting magnets 402 that have low or high magnetic force.
While the elongated members 106 in each individual embodiment shown in
Referring again to
Furthermore, the apparatus 100 may include any number of elongated members 106. For example, the embodiments in
Referring now to
Referring still to
In other embodiments, the apparatus 100 may include any number of end members 102 and 104 and elongated members 106. For example,
The magnets 402 may be any suitable type of magnet 402 having any suitable magnetic strength. In some embodiments, the magnets are rectangular and are approximately 4 inches long. In some embodiments, the magnets 402 are neodymium iron boron magnets. In some embodiments, the magnets 402 are neodymium iron boron magnets with a coating of nickel to protect the magnet 404 from exposure to water, which may damage the magnet 404. In some embodiments, the nickel coating is approximately .005 inches thick.
In some embodiments, the interior channels 404 also include an adhesive 418, such as, for example, an epoxy. Once the adhesive 418 has cured within the channel 404, the adhesive 418 may hold the magnets 402 in place within the channel 404. Any suitable adhesive 418 may be used within the channels 404. In some embodiments, for example, the adhesive is an epoxy such as epoxy 50-3185. In some embodiments, the interior channel 404 also includes a catalyst (not shown), such as a catalyst number 190. In some embodiments, the catalyst reacts with the epoxy to harden the epoxy within the channels 404.
In some embodiments, the interior channel 404 is sealed to prevent entry of water, drilling fluid or contaminants within the channel 404. In certain embodiments, the interior channel 404 is sealed when the ends of the elongated members 106 are coupled to the first and second end members 102 and 104. When the interior channel 404 is sealed, the magnets 402 and other contents of the interior channels 404 may be protected from exposure to air, water, drilling fluid and other outside contaminants.
The flow path 500 need not move in a uniform direction and need not be a rapidly moving flow of material. In some embodiment, the flow path 500 includes flow portions 502, 504, 506, 508, 510 and 512 that flow between and around the elongated members 106 and/or end members 102 and 104. In some embodiments, the drilling fluid may flow between the elongated members 106, such as is shown by the flow portions 504, 506, 508, 510 and 512. In some embodiments, the drilling fluid may flow near the elongated members 106 but not between the elongated members 106, as shown by the flow portion 502. Drilling fluid may flow in multiple directions in the vicinity of the elongated members 106 and in some embodiments may flow in a direction opposite to that of the general flow path 500, such as is shown by the flow path 506. Drilling fluid that passes between elongated members 106 and/or end members 102 and 104 may be exposed to magnetic forces exerted by two or more elongated members 106 and/or end members 102 and 104, thus increasing the likelihood that the metallic debris will be attracted to an elongated member 106 and removed from the flow path 506. In some embodiments, by allowing drilling fluid to flow between elongated members 106 and end members 102 and 104, a greater volume of drilling fluid may be in close proximity to magnetic forces from the elongated members 106.
The flow portions 502, 504, 506, 508, 510 and 512 of the flow path 500 need not be identical to that shown in
In use, the drilling fluid enters the apparatus 600 at the inlet 604 and travels into a feeding cabin 618, sometimes called a “possum belly.” The drilling fluid pools in the feeding cabin 618 until the drilling fluid begins to spill over a feeding ledge 620. The drilling fluid that spills over the feeding ledge 620 enters an area of the apparatus 600 called the screen box 622. The screen box 622 includes a plurality of screens 610 that are configured to remove debris from the drilling fluid and allow clean drilling fluid to pass through the screens 610 into the exit trough 624. In some embodiments, the screens 610 vibrate when the apparatus 600 is in operation to help separate large debris from the drilling fluid. In some embodiments, large debris are ejected from the apparatus 600 in the direction of the arrows 614 into a debris holding area (not shown in
Treated drilling fluid passes through openings in the screens 610, as shown by the arrows 616, and is collected in an exit trough or hopper 624. The drilling fluid in the trough 624 moves toward the outlet 606 where the drilling fluid may be transported to another location for reuse, further cleansing operations or to be discarded.
In some embodiments, the apparatus 100 is located in or near the outlet 606 to help remove any metallic debris that remain in the drilling fluid after the drilling fluid has passed through the screens 610. As the drilling fluid flows through the outlet 606, the apparatus 100 attracts metallic particles due to the magnetic forces exerted by the magnets 402 (not illustrated in
In some embodiment, more than one apparatus 100 is included in the flow path of the drilling fluid. For example in some embodiments, an apparatus 100 is included in the feeding cabin 618 and another apparatus 100 is included in or near the outlet 606. In addition, the apparatus(s) 100 may be positioned within the flow path at any suitable orientation (i.e., upright, horizontal, etc.). For example, in the embodiment illustrated in
While
In addition, while
The worker then follows the same steps to insert epoxy and magnets 402 into the internal channels 404 of the other elongated members 106. In some embodiments, the worker or another worker holds the magnets 402 that have already been inserted into the apparatus 100 while the other magnets 402 are placed into the apparatus 100 to prevent the magnets 402 from forcing each other out of the apparatus 100. The worker then secures the other additional end member 128 to the remaining end member 102 to seal the openings 132. As such, the magnets 402 (and the epoxy) are secured within the elongated members 106.
In some embodiments, the method 800 may also include locating the first and second elongated members 106 in a flow path of the drilling fluid between a separating mechanism, such as a screen 610, and an outlet 606 of a drilling fluid cleansing apparatus 600. The method 800 may also include removing at least some of the metallic debris from an exterior surface of the first and second elongated members 106 by wiping the first and second elongated members 106 with a rag.
In some embodiments, the method 900 also includes placing additional magnets 402 within each elongated member 106. In some embodiments, a first row of magnets 402 is placed within a first elongated member 106. In some embodiments, the first row of magnets 402 is held in place within the first elongated member 106 while a second row of magnets 402 is placed within a second elongated member 106 to prevent the first row of magnets 402 from being ejected from the first elongated member 106 by interaction of the magnetic forces of the first and second rows of magnets 402.
In addition, in some embodiments the method 900 includes inserting an epoxy or other adhesive into the elongated members 106 before and/or after the magnets 402 are placed within the elongated members 106. In some embodiment, the method 900 also includes creating a first opening 412 in the first end member 102 and a second opening 414 in the second end member 104, and coupling a cord 416 to the first and second openings 412, as shown in the embodiment illustrated in
In the foregoing description of certain embodiments, specific terminology has been resorted to for the sake of clarity. However, the disclosure is not intended to be limited to the specific terms so selected, and it is to be understood that each specific term includes other technical equivalents which operate in a similar manner to accomplish a similar technical purpose. Terms such as “left” and right”, “front” and “rear”, “above” and “below”, “top” and “bottom” and the like are used as words of convenience to provide reference points and are not to be construed as limiting terms.
In this specification, the word “comprising” is to be understood in its “open” sense, that is, in the sense of “including”, and thus not limited to its “closed” sense, that is the sense of “consisting only of”. A corresponding meaning is to be attributed to the corresponding words “comprise”, “comprised” and “comprises” where they appear.
In addition, the foregoing describes only some embodiments of the invention(s), and alterations, modifications, additions and/or changes can be made thereto without departing from the scope and spirit of the disclosed embodiments, the embodiments being illustrative and not restrictive.
Furthermore, invention(s) have been described in connection with what are presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiments, but on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the invention(s). Also, the various embodiments described above may be implemented in conjunction with other embodiments, e.g., aspects of one embodiment may be combined with aspects of another embodiment to realize yet other embodiments. Further, each independent feature or component of any given assembly may constitute an additional embodiment.
Claims
1. An apparatus for removing metallic debris from a drilling fluid, the apparatus comprising:
- a first end member;
- a second end member; and
- two or more elongated members extending between the first end member and the second end member, wherein the two or more elongated members include a magnet and the two or more elongated members are spaced from each other to allow a drilling fluid to flow between the two or more elongated members.
2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first end member and the second end member are cylindrical.
3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the two or more elongated members comprise three elongated members.
4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the elongated members are substantially equally spaced radially around a central axis of the end members.
5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the elongated members have an interior channel and the magnet is located in the interior channel, and further comprising an adhesive positioned in the interior channel.
6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the adhesive includes an epoxy and a catalyst.
7. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the interior channel is substantially sealed.
8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the interior channel is sealed by the first and second end members being coupled to the two or more elongated members.
9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the magnet includes neodymium.
10. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a distance between the end members is slightly less than the width of a drilling fluid outlet of a drilling fluid cleansing machine.
11. A method of removing metallic debris from a drilling fluid, the method comprising:
- flowing a drilling fluid past a first elongated member to attract at least some metallic debris from the drilling fluid to the first elongated member;
- flowing the drilling fluid past a second elongated member to attract at least some metallic debris from the drilling fluid to the second elongated member;
- removing the first and second elongated members from a flow path of the drilling fluid; and
- removing at least some metallic debris from the first and second elongated members.
12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising flowing at least some of the drilling fluid between the first elongated member and the second elongated member.
13. The method according to claim 11, further comprising flowing at least some of the drilling fluid past a third elongated member to attract at least some of the metallic debris to the third elongated member.
14. The method according to claim 11, further comprising locating the first elongated member and the second elongated member in a feeding cabin of a drilling fluid cleansing machine.
15. The method according to claim 11, further comprising locating the first and second elongated members in a drilling fluid outlet of a drilling fluid cleansing machine.
16. The method according to claim 11, further comprising locating the first and second elongated members in the flow path of the drilling fluid between a screen and a drilling fluid outlet of the drilling fluid cleansing machine.
17. A method of manufacturing an apparatus to remove metallic debris from a drilling fluid, the method comprising:
- providing a first elongated member;
- providing a second elongated member;
- coupling a first magnet to the first elongated member; and
- coupling a second magnet to the second elongated member.
18. The method according to claim 17, wherein coupling the first magnet to the first elongated member includes sealing the first magnet in a volume within the first elongated member, and coupling the second magnet to the second elongated member includes sealing the second magnet in a volume within the second elongated member.
19. The method according to claim 18, wherein sealing the first magnet in a volume within the first elongated member and sealing the second magnet in a volume within the second elongated member comprises securing a first end member to a first end of the first and second elongated members and securing a second end member to an opposite, second end of the first and second elongated members.
20. The method according to claim 17, further comprising coupling an elongated member to at least one of the first end plate and the second end plate, wherein the elongated member is configured to move the apparatus from a first position to a second position.
Type: Application
Filed: Dec 10, 2014
Publication Date: Jun 11, 2015
Applicant: FLO-RITE FLUIDS, INC. (CLYDE, TX)
Inventor: John W. White (Clyde, TX)
Application Number: 14/566,658