Carbon Sequestration System for Drilling Waste Injection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Drilling fluid waste disposal poses environmental and economic challenges due to the difficulty in safely disposing of hydrocarbons, which can lead to greenhouse gas emissions and groundwater contamination if not managed effectively.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for sequestering carbon in subterranean formations by processing drilling fluid waste, separating solids, and injecting the treated waste back into wells, using sensors to measure flow rate and hydrocarbon content to determine carbon sequestration amounts, thereby preventing environmental contamination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If drilling fluid waste is pumped back into subterranean formation, then disposal cost is reduced and environmental liability is minimized, but particles may fall out of the fluid waste if density and viscosity are not within predetermined range, limiting the amount that can be disposed
Solution Approach 1:
The system adjusts the density and viscosity parameters of the drilling fluid waste through controlled mixing and blending processes to ensure they fall within predetermined ranges required for successful subsurface injection, thereby maximizing the volume that can be disposed while maintaining injection capability
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs sensors to continuously monitor density and viscosity parameters of the drilling fluid waste and provides feedback control to adjust mixing ratios and injection rates, ensuring parameters remain within acceptable ranges for maximum disposal efficiency
2Device complexity
If hydrocarbons in drilling fluid waste are disposed of at surface, then handling complexity is reduced, but environmental contamination and greenhouse gas emissions occur
Solution Approach 1:
The system converts the harmful hydrocarbon content in drilling fluid waste into a beneficial carbon sequestration opportunity by injecting the waste into subterranean formations where hydrocarbons are trapped and prevented from reaching the surface, thus eliminating pollution while creating carbon credit opportunities
Solution Approach 2:
The subterranean formation acts as an intermediary medium that receives and contains the hydrocarbons from drilling fluid waste, preventing direct environmental contamination while allowing the waste to be disposed of safely through controlled injection processes
3Measurement precision
If sensors are installed to measure flow rate and hydrocarbon content for carbon sequestration determination, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs multi-functional sensors and measurement devices that simultaneously measure multiple parameters (flow rate, hydrocarbon content, fluid properties) to determine carbon sequestration, reducing the need for separate dedicated measurement systems and thereby limiting complexity increase
Solution Approach 2:
The system combines multiple measurement functions into integrated monitoring systems that concurrently assess flow rate, hydrocarbon content, and other fluid characteristics, consolidating measurement capabilities to minimize the complexity increase associated with enhanced measurement precision
Data Source
AI summary
A system for injecting a portion of a fluid waste into a well includes a fluid waste processor configured to receive the fluid waste and process the fluid waste for storage in the well, a primary sensor coupled to the fluid waste processor at a primary location, the primary sensor being configured to measure a fluid flow rate of the fluid waste, a hydrocarbon content of the fluid waste at or proximal to the primary location of the primary sensor being determined, and a data processor configured to determine an amount of carbon sequestered in the well based at least in part on a combination of the fluid flow rate and the hydrocarbon content.