Closed Loop Drilling Mud Reclamation System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional drilling processes face significant costs and environmental risks due to the inefficient separation of drilling mud from cuttings, leading to contamination and high expenses for remediation and transportation to land farms.
Innovation Solution
A closed loop system comprising a clean mud mixing tank, dirty mud shakers, conveyor belt system, recycled mud reclamation tank, and filtering centrifugal pumps, which continuously separates cuttings from drilling mud and recirculates the cleaned mud, minimizing waste and allowing for on-site reuse.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If conventional drilling mud separation processes are used, then cuttings are removed from drilling mud, but significant costs and environmental pollution occur due to inefficient separation and transportation to land farms
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the separation process into multiple stages using different separation mechanisms (shakers for coarse separation, centrifugal pumps for fine separation, filtration systems for particle removal). This multi-stage approach achieves thorough cuttings removal while maintaining mud quality, reducing the need for transportation to land farms and minimizing environmental pollution.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces intermediate processing equipment (such as filtration systems and centrifugal separators) that act as mediators between the drilling mud and the environment. These intermediaries enable efficient separation and purification of mud from cuttings, allowing for on-site reclamation and reuse, thereby eliminating the need for harmful transportation to land farms.
2Loss of substance
If drilling mud is continuously reused in a closed loop system, then costs are reduced and environmental impact is minimized, but the system requires complex separation and purification equipment
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs multi-functional equipment that performs multiple separation and purification functions within single units. For example, centrifugal pumps simultaneously achieve density-based separation and filtration, while shakers perform both coarse separation and mud recovery. This multi-functionality reduces the overall system complexity while maintaining effective closed-loop mud reuse.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines multiple separation and purification processes into an integrated closed-loop system where equipment works in sequence and synergy. The shakers, centrifugal pumps, and filtration systems are merged into a unified mud reclamation system that continuously processes and recycles drilling mud, minimizing mud loss without requiring excessively complex individual components.
3Quantity of substance
If on-site mud reclamation is implemented, then transportation costs to land farms are eliminated, but significant equipment and operational infrastructure are required at the drilling site
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts and removes cuttings and contaminants from drilling mud through efficient on-site separation equipment (shakers, centrifugal pumps, filters). By taking out the harmful components effectively, the reclaimed mud reaches a quality suitable for reuse, eliminating the need for transportation to land farms while the infrastructure required is offset by the elimination of transportation logistics.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This system significantly reduces costs by reusing drilling mud, minimizes environmental pollution, and allows for continuous circulation of cleaned mud, reducing the need for new mud and land farm transportation, thereby lowering operational expenses and environmental impact.
Implementation Method 1
The system utilizes a filtering centrifugal pump to separate the cuttings from the drilling mud
Implementation Method 2
The system includes a shaker adapted to separate the cuttings from the drilling mud
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention is generally directed to a closed loop apparatus, system, process or method adapted for processing drilling mud used in a down hole well drilling process such that any undesirable particulate such as cuttings will be substantially, if not completely separated from the dirty mud while at the same time allowing the recycled drilling mud to be continuously circulated with the drilling mud. In one embodiment, the present invention includes the following components, all in fluid or mud flow communication with one another and with an adjacent drilling rig: at least one clean mud mixing tank, at least one pump system, at least one dirty mud shakers, at least one optional conveyor belt system, at least one recycled mud reclamation tank and one or more filtering centrifugal pumps or centrifuge systems.