Drilling fluid slurry unloading and transferring device
By combining the use of the inlet slurry pump, the mud screening machine, and the outlet slurry pump, the problems of low drilling fluid mud unloading efficiency and performance degradation have been solved, achieving efficient and rapid mud unloading and performance maintenance.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- CHARLIE KNIGHT PETROLEUM ENG (CHENGDU) CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2025-07-18
- Publication Date
- 2026-05-19
AI Technical Summary
Existing drilling fluid mud unloading methods are inefficient, and excessive solid particles entering the storage tank cause mud performance degradation.
The slurry is actively extracted by the slurry pump and transported to the slurry screening machine with strong pumping pressure to remove excess solid particles. The qualified slurry is temporarily stored in the circulating storage tank and finally transported to the storage tank by the discharge slurry pump.
It significantly improves unloading efficiency, shortens the unloading time per trip, improves mud properties, avoids performance degradation, and increases overall efficiency by 4-8 times.
Smart Images
Figure CN224260290U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This application relates to the field of drilling fluid and mud technology, specifically to a drilling fluid and mud unloading and transfer device. Background Technology
[0002] Drilling mud is a circulating fluid used in oil and gas drilling to suspend and carry rock cuttings, balance formation pressure, and cool and lubricate the drill bit. It is typically prepared at a mixing station and transported to the drilling site by mud trucks. Current mud trucks use an inclined tank design. During unloading, a hydraulic system raises the tank's center of gravity, allowing the mud to flow under its own weight along the inclined tank wall to the discharge port and into the mud storage tank, completing the unloading process. However, this unloading method has the following drawbacks:
[0003] 1. Drilling mud has rheological properties of high viscosity, strong thixotropy, and easy settling. Its flow velocity in the inclined tank is relatively slow. Especially when the solid content in the mud is high or slight settling occurs, the flow resistance increases further, resulting in a longer unloading time per cycle.
[0004] 2. Excessive solid particles may be mixed into the drilling fluid mud during preparation. During unloading, these excessive solid particles may enter the mud storage tank directly with the mud, which may degrade the performance of the drilling fluid mud and cause wellbore problems in subsequent drilling operations due to excessive solid particles. Utility Model Content
[0005] The purpose of this application is to provide a drilling fluid mud unloading and transfer device to solve the problems of low unloading efficiency and the degradation of drilling fluid mud performance caused by excessive solid particles entering the mud storage tank with the mud in the existing unloading method.
[0006] The technical solution adopted by this application to solve its technical problem is:
[0007] A drilling fluid mud unloading and transfer device includes a frame, on which are mounted a mud inlet pump, a mud screener, a circulating mud storage tank, and a mud outlet pump. The outlet of the mud inlet pump is connected to the mud inlet of the mud screener. The solid phase outlet of the mud screener is located on one side of the frame. The mud outlet of the mud screener is connected to the inner cavity of the circulating mud storage tank located below it. The inner cavity of the circulating mud storage tank is also connected to the inlet of the mud outlet pump.
[0008] Furthermore, the frame has a double-layer structure, with the slurry storage tank located on the lower layer of the frame and the mud screening machine located on the upper layer of the frame.
[0009] Furthermore, the frame includes a lower frame, an upper frame disposed above the lower frame, and a plurality of columns connecting the lower frame and the upper frame, wherein the lower frame forms the lower layer of the frame and the upper frame forms the upper layer of the frame.
[0010] Furthermore, the column is connected to the outer wall of the slurry storage tank.
[0011] Furthermore, the outer edge of the upper frame is connected to a suspended upper walking pedal, and a load-bearing diagonal brace is provided between the upper walking pedal and the column.
[0012] Furthermore, the outer edge of the upper walking platform is equipped with a fence and a ladder.
[0013] Furthermore, a sampling valve is provided on the outer wall of the slurry storage tank.
[0014] Furthermore, the inlet of the slurry pump is provided with an inlet quick connector and / or the outlet of the slurry pump is provided with an outlet quick connector.
[0015] Furthermore, a baffle plate is connected to the frame and located outside the solid phase outlet of the mud screening machine.
[0016] Furthermore, it also includes a solid material transfer vehicle, which is used to transfer solid material discharged from the solid outlet of the mud screening machine.
[0017] The beneficial effects of this application are:
[0018] The drilling fluid mud unloading and transfer device provided in this application uses a slurry pump as the active unloading power source. It can actively extract drilling fluid mud from the mud transport truck tank and use strong pumping pressure to transport the drilling fluid mud to the mud screening machine. This overcomes the flow resistance caused by the high viscosity and high solid content of the drilling fluid mud, greatly accelerates the conveying speed of the drilling fluid mud from the tank to the unloading port, and significantly shortens the unloading time per trip. The mud screening machine can pre-treat the unloaded drilling fluid mud, remove excessive solid particles in the drilling fluid mud, improve the key properties of the drilling fluid mud such as viscosity and fluidity, and avoid the deterioration of the drilling fluid mud performance. The qualified drilling fluid mud after screening is temporarily stored in the transfer storage tank. The slurry pump can actively extract the drilling fluid mud in the transfer storage tank and transport it to the mud storage tank for storage.
[0019] Compared with existing technologies, this application can replace the existing passive unloading method that relies on the weight of the mud to guide the flow of the tank, significantly improving the unloading efficiency of mud transport vehicles. At the same time, it can screen the unloaded drilling mud to remove excessive solid particles, improve the performance of drilling mud, and avoid the deterioration of drilling mud performance from affecting subsequent drilling operations. Attached Figure Description
[0020] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. It should be understood that the following drawings only show some embodiments of this application and should not be regarded as a limitation of the scope. For those skilled in the art, other related drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.
[0021] Figure 1 This is a front view of the drilling fluid and mud unloading and transfer device provided in the embodiments of this application;
[0022] Figure 2 This is a left view of the drilling fluid and mud unloading and transfer device provided in the embodiments of this application;
[0023] Figure 3 This is a right view of the drilling fluid and mud unloading and transfer device provided in the embodiments of this application;
[0024] Figure 4 This is a perspective view of the drilling fluid and mud unloading and transfer device provided in the embodiments of this application.
[0025] Figure label:
[0026] 10-Rack;
[0027] 101 - Lower frame; 102 - Upper frame; 103 - Column;
[0028] 11-Slurry pump;
[0029] 12-Mud screening machine;
[0030] 13-Transfer slurry storage tank;
[0031] 14 - Slurry pump;
[0032] 15 - Upper walking pedal;
[0033] 16-Load-bearing diagonal brace;
[0034] 17-Fence;
[0035] 18- Climbing Ladder;
[0036] 19-Sampling valve;
[0037] 20-Imported quick coupling;
[0038] 21-Export quick coupling;
[0039] 22-Baffle plate;
[0040] 23-Solid material transfer vehicle. Detailed Implementation
[0041] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application. Unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features in the embodiments of this application can be combined with each other.
[0042] In the description of this application, the terms "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "front," "rear," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this application. Unless otherwise specified, the above-mentioned orientational descriptions can be flexibly set in actual application, provided that the relative positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings are satisfied.
[0043] In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "set up," "install," "connect," and "link" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal communication between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application according to the specific circumstances.
[0044] See Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 3 , Figure 4 This application provides a drilling fluid mud unloading and transfer device, including a frame 10. The frame 10 is equipped with a mud inlet pump 11, a mud screener 12, a circulating mud storage tank 13, and a mud outlet pump 14. The outlet of the mud inlet pump 11 is connected to the mud inlet of the mud screener 12. The solid phase outlet of the mud screener 12 is located on one side of the frame 10. The mud outlet of the mud screener 12 is connected to the inner cavity of the circulating mud storage tank 13 located below it. The inner cavity of the circulating mud storage tank 13 is also connected to the inlet of the mud outlet pump 14.
[0045] The frame 10 serves as the mounting base for the entire device, used to install and support other components, and to bear the weight of these components as well as other loads generated during use. The frame 10 is used to place or fix itself on a stable foundation, which can be a steel structure or a reinforced concrete structure.
[0046] A slurry pump is a machine that uses centrifugal force to increase the energy of a solid-liquid mixture, converting electrical energy into the kinetic and potential energy of the medium. Slurry pumps are mainly used to transport slurries containing solid particles, including at least drilling mud.
[0047] The slurry pump 11 is a high-power slurry pump with a power output far exceeding that of a water pump. The slurry pump 11 is fixed to the frame 10. Its inlet connects to the unloading port of the mud transport truck during unloading, allowing for the active extraction of drilling fluid mud from the truck's tank for rapid unloading. The outlet of the slurry pump 11 is connected to the mud inlet of the mud screening machine 12 via a pipeline, enabling the powerful pumping pressure to transport the drilling fluid mud into the mud screening machine 12.
[0048] The mud screener 12 is a vibrating screening device used to separate excess solid particles from drilling fluid mud through mechanical vibration, thereby maintaining the stability of the drilling fluid mud performance. The mud screener 12 is fixed to the frame 10, with the solid phase outlet located on one side of the frame 10 and the mud outlet at the bottom. When the drilling fluid mud is pumped into the mud screener 12, excess solid particles are intercepted by the screen and discharged along the inclined screen surface from the solid phase outlet to one side of the frame 10, while qualified drilling fluid mud passes through the screen and is discharged through the mud outlet.
[0049] The circulating mud storage tank 13 is fixed on the frame 10 and positioned directly below the mud screening machine 12. The top of the circulating mud storage tank 13 is connected to the mud outlet of the mud screening machine 12, allowing the drilling fluid mud discharged from the mud outlet to be temporarily stored inside the circulating mud storage tank 13. An opening may be provided at the top of the circulating mud storage tank 13, and the mud outlet of the mud screening machine 12 can be connected to this opening by docking or plugging, thus connecting the inner cavity of the circulating mud storage tank 13 to its mud outlet. Alternatively, the top of the circulating mud storage tank 13 can also be connected to its mud outlet via a pipe.
[0050] The slurry pump 14 is a high-power slurry pump with a power output far exceeding that of a water pump. The slurry pump 14 is fixed to the frame 10, and its inlet is connected to the inner cavity of the circulating slurry tank 13 via a pipe to actively extract drilling fluid mud from the tank. For example, a suction port is provided at the lowest point of the circulating slurry tank 13, and the inlet of the slurry pump 14 is connected to this suction port via a pipe. The outlet of the slurry pump 14 is connected to the mud inlet of the mud storage tank via a pipe during unloading, so that the drilling fluid mud in the circulating slurry tank 13 can be transported to the mud storage tank for storage using strong pumping pressure.
[0051] In this embodiment, the feed slurry pump 11, the mud screening machine 12, and the discharge slurry pump 14 can adopt existing structures, and no specific limitations are made here. For example, the feed slurry pump 11, the mud screening machine 12, and the discharge slurry pump 14 can be purchased externally and can be directly purchased on the market. The frame 10 and the transfer slurry storage tank 13 can be prefabricated in the factory or made on the drilling site, and then assembled with other components after being made.
[0052] The drilling fluid mud unloading and transfer device provided in this application embodiment is used to unload drilling fluid mud from mud transport trucks. The specific unloading process is as follows:
[0053] The outlet of the slurry pump 14 is connected to the mud inlet of the mud storage tank via a pipeline. Once the mud transport vehicle is in place, the inlet of the slurry pump 11 is connected to the unloading port of the mud transport vehicle via a pipeline. The slurry pump 11 and the mud screening machine 12 are then started. The slurry pump 11 draws drilling fluid mud from the mud transport vehicle and transports it to the mud screening machine 12. The mud screening machine 12 screens the drilling fluid mud, and any excess solid particles are removed and discharged from the solids outlet. On one side of the frame 10, qualified drilling fluid mud after screening flows from the mud outlet into the transfer storage tank 13 for temporary storage; the discharge slurry pump 14 is started, and the discharge slurry pump 14 draws drilling fluid mud from the transfer storage tank 13 and transports it to the mud storage tank at the far end for storage; when the mud in the mud transport vehicle is emptied and the liquid level in the transfer storage tank 13 drops to the preset low liquid level, the inlet slurry pump 11, the mud screening machine 12 and the outlet slurry pump 14 stop, and the single unloading is completed.
[0054] The drilling fluid mud unloading and transfer device provided in this application embodiment uses a slurry pump 11 as the active unloading power source. It can actively extract drilling fluid mud from the mud transport truck tank and use strong pumping pressure to transport the drilling fluid mud to the mud screening machine 12. This overcomes the flow resistance caused by the high viscosity and high solid content of the drilling fluid mud, greatly accelerates the conveying speed of the drilling fluid mud from the tank to the unloading port, and significantly shortens the unloading time per trip. The mud screening machine 12 can pre-treat the unloaded drilling fluid mud, screen out excessive solid particles in the drilling fluid mud, improve the key properties of the drilling fluid mud such as viscosity and fluidity, and avoid the deterioration of the drilling fluid mud performance. The qualified drilling fluid mud after screening is temporarily stored in the transfer storage tank 13. The slurry pump 14 can actively extract the drilling fluid mud in the transfer storage tank 13 and transport it to the mud storage tank for storage.
[0055] After drilling fluid mud is transported to the drilling site by mud trucks, unloading using the existing tilting tank method takes 2-3 hours per unloading run. Furthermore, storing the drilling fluid mud directly in the mud storage tank without pretreatment may lead to performance degradation. However, using the drilling fluid mud unloading and transfer device provided in this application embodiment can reduce unloading time to 30-40 minutes per unloading run. Simultaneous screening prevents performance degradation of the drilling fluid mud, reduces subsequent processing steps, and improves overall efficiency by approximately 4-6 times. This improvement is based on calculations under normal operating conditions. If high-viscosity or high-solids drilling fluid mud is encountered, the unloading time using the existing tilting tank method may increase to over 4 hours. The unloading method of this application, due to its powerful motor, will further widen the efficiency gap, achieving an overall efficiency of 6-8 times.
[0056] Therefore, compared with the prior art, this application can replace the existing passive unloading method that relies on the weight of the mud to guide the flow of the tank, significantly improving the unloading efficiency of the mud transport vehicle. At the same time, it can screen the unloaded drilling mud to remove excessive solid particles, improve the performance of the drilling mud, and avoid the deterioration of the drilling mud performance from affecting subsequent drilling operations.
[0057] In some embodiments, see Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 3 , Figure 4 The frame 10 has a double-layer structure, with the mud storage tank 13 located on the lower layer and the mud screening machine 12 located on the upper layer. Accordingly, the double-layer structure of the frame 10 can maximize the use of space. By arranging the mud screening machine 12 and the mud storage tank 13 on the upper and lower layers of the frame 10 respectively, the entire device is more compact, reducing its footprint at the drilling site.
[0058] In some embodiments, see Figure 2 , Figure 3 The frame 10 includes a lower frame 101, an upper frame 102 disposed above the lower frame 101, and a plurality of columns 103 connecting the lower frame 101 and the upper frame 102. The lower frame 101 forms the lower layer of the frame 10, and the upper frame 102 forms the upper layer of the frame 10.
[0059] Both the lower frame 101 and the upper frame 102 are horizontally arranged rectangular frames. The upper frame 102 is positioned directly above the lower frame 101. Two sets of columns 103 are arranged between the upper frame 102 and the lower frame 101, respectively, at both ends of the rectangular frame along its width. Each set of columns 103 includes multiple columns evenly distributed along the length of the rectangular frame. The lower end of each column 103 is fixedly connected to the top of the lower frame 101, and the upper end of each column 103 is fixedly connected to the bottom of the upper frame 102. The slurry pump 11 and the slurry storage tank 13 are fixed on the lower frame 101 and located between the two sets of columns 103. The mud screening machine 12 and the slurry discharge pump 14 are fixed on the upper frame 102.
[0060] In this embodiment, the lower frame 101 and the upper frame 102 can be steel structure frames welded from shaped steel, and the column 103 can be a steel column made of shaped steel. The three are welded or bolted together to form the frame 10. When other components are installed on the frame 10, a skid-mounted drilling fluid mud unloading and transfer device is formed. This not only makes the whole device more compact and reduces the footprint on site, but also makes it easy to hoist and adjust its position on site. At the same time, it can be loaded into a container or flatbed truck as a whole when the well team is relocated, which is convenient for transportation.
[0061] In some embodiments, see Figure 1 , Figure 2 The column 103 is connected to the outer wall of the transfer slurry storage tank 13. Accordingly, by connecting the column 103 to the outer wall of the transfer slurry storage tank 13, the outer wall of the transfer slurry storage tank 13 can be strengthened by the column 103, thereby improving the robustness and reliability of the transfer slurry storage tank 13.
[0062] In some embodiments, see Figure 2 , Figure 3 , Figure 4 The outer edge of the upper frame 102 is connected to a suspended upper walking platform 15, and a load-bearing diagonal brace 16 is provided between the upper walking platform 15 and the column 103. Accordingly, the upper walking platform 15 serves as a platform for operators on the upper frame 102, preventing operators from directly stepping on the mud screening machine 12 or pipelines, thus reducing the risk of falls. The load-bearing diagonal brace 16 supports the upper walking platform 15, improving the firmness and reliability of the upper walking platform 15 fixed to its outer edge.
[0063] In some embodiments, see Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 3 , Figure 4The outer edge of the upper walking platform 15 is provided with a railing 17 and a ladder 18. The upper end of the ladder 18 is connected to the upper walking platform 15, and the lower end of the ladder 18 is used to support the ground foundation.
[0064] Correspondingly, by setting up a fence 17, a protective structure is formed on the outer edge of the upper walking platform 15 to protect the operator standing on the upper walking platform 15, preventing the operator from falling from the outer edge of the upper walking platform 15 and improving the safety of the operator when operating on the upper walking platform 15. By setting up a ladder 18, it is convenient for the operator to safely and easily move between the upper and lower levels of the frame 10.
[0065] In some embodiments, see Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 3 , Figure 4 A sampling valve 19 is provided on the outer wall of the slurry storage tank 13. Specifically, a sampling tube communicating with its inner cavity can be provided on the outer wall of the slurry storage tank 13, and the sampling valve 19 is installed on the sampling tube. Accordingly, by setting the sampling valve 19, the operator can extract mud samples from the slurry storage tank 13 through the sampling valve 19 for performance index testing, making sampling more convenient.
[0066] In some embodiments, see Figure 2 The slurry pump 11 has an inlet quick connector 20 at its inlet and / or the slurry pump 14 has an outlet quick connector 21 at its outlet. Both the inlet quick connector 20 and the outlet quick connector 21 are quick-connect pipe fittings, enabling rapid connection or disconnection of pipelines. The inlet quick connector 20 and the outlet quick connector 21 can utilize existing technologies and are not specifically limited here. For example, the inlet quick connector 20 and the outlet quick connector 21 can be purchased externally from the market.
[0067] Correspondingly, by setting an inlet quick connector 20 at the inlet of the slurry pump 11, the inlet of the slurry pump 11 can be quickly connected to the pipeline, improving connection efficiency; by setting an outlet quick connector 21 at the outlet of the slurry pump 14, the outlet of the slurry pump 14 can be quickly connected to the pipeline, improving connection efficiency.
[0068] In some embodiments, see Figure 1 , Figure 3 , Figure 4 A baffle plate 22 is connected to the frame 10 and is located outside the solid phase outlet of the mud screening machine 12. Accordingly, by setting the baffle plate 22, the excess solid phase particles discharged from the solid phase outlet are physically blocked, their kinetic energy is reduced, and the excess solid phase particles fall into the designated collection area, which facilitates the subsequent transfer of the excess solid phase particles.
[0069] In some embodiments, see Figure 1 , Figure 3 , Figure 4 It also includes a solid material transfer vehicle 23, which is used to transfer solid materials discharged from the solid outlet of the mud screening machine 12. Accordingly, by setting up the solid material transfer vehicle 23, during the unloading process, the solid material transfer vehicle 23 can be placed below the solid outlet of the mud screening machine 12 and the baffle plate 22, so that the screened out excess solid particles fall directly into the solid material transfer vehicle 23 under the guidance of the baffle plate 22, and the solid material transfer vehicle 23 completes the transfer of excess solid particles.
[0070] The above are merely specific embodiments of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application.
Claims
1. A drilling fluid and mud unloading and transfer device, characterized in that, The system includes a frame (10), on which are mounted a slurry inlet pump (11), a mud screen (12), a circulating slurry storage tank (13), and a slurry outlet pump (14). The outlet of the slurry inlet pump (11) is connected to the mud inlet of the mud screen (12). The solid phase outlet of the mud screen (12) is located on one side of the frame (10). The mud outlet of the mud screen (12) is connected to the inner cavity of the circulating slurry storage tank (13) located below it. The inner cavity of the circulating slurry storage tank (13) is also connected to the inlet of the slurry outlet pump (14).
2. The drilling fluid and mud unloading and transfer device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The frame (10) has a double-layer structure. The slurry storage tank (13) is located on the lower layer of the frame (10), and the mud screening machine (12) is located on the upper layer of the frame (10).
3. The drilling fluid and mud unloading and transfer device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The frame (10) includes a lower frame (101), an upper frame (102) disposed above the lower frame (101), and a plurality of columns (103) connecting the lower frame (101) and the upper frame (102). The lower frame (101) forms the lower layer of the frame (10), and the upper frame (102) forms the upper layer of the frame (10).
4. The drilling fluid and mud unloading and transfer device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The column (103) is connected to the outer wall of the slurry storage tank (13).
5. The drilling fluid and mud unloading and transfer device according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that, The outer edge of the upper frame (102) is connected to a suspended upper walking pedal (15), and a load-bearing diagonal brace (16) is provided between the upper walking pedal (15) and the column (103).
6. The drilling fluid and mud unloading and transfer device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The outer edge of the upper walking board (15) is provided with a fence (17) and a ladder (18).
7. The drilling fluid and mud unloading and transfer device according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4, characterized in that, The outer wall of the slurry storage tank (13) is equipped with a sampling valve (19).
8. The drilling fluid and mud unloading and transfer device according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4, characterized in that, The inlet of the slurry pump (11) is provided with an inlet quick connector (20) and / or the outlet of the slurry pump (14) is provided with an outlet quick connector (21).
9. The drilling fluid and mud unloading and transfer device according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4, characterized in that, A baffle plate (22) is connected to the frame (10) on the outside of the solid phase outlet of the mud screening machine (12).
10. The drilling fluid mud unloading and transfer device according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4, characterized in that, It also includes a solid material transfer vehicle (23) for transferring solid material discharged from the solid outlet of the mud screen (12).