Imaging System for Drill Cuttings Volume Measurement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional solids control equipment in drilling operations often fails to efficiently remove unwanted solids and particulates from drilling fluids, leading to suboptimal drilling fluid recirculation and potential stuck pipe incidents due to poor hole cleaning and wellbore instability.
Innovation Solution
Integration of an imaging system with solids control equipment, including shakers and conveyor belts, to monitor and analyze drill cuttings in real-time, allowing for adjustments to operating parameters such as vibration amplitude, frequency, and screen size to optimize solids separation and fluid processing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional solids control equipment is used, then drilling operations can proceed, but solids separation efficiency is insufficient leading to poor hole cleaning and wellbore instability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism by measuring cuttings volume away from the shale shaker and using this information to adjust shaker operating parameters. Sensors detect cuttings characteristics and feed this data back to the control system, which automatically adjusts vibration amplitude, frequency, and screen size to optimize solids separation efficiency and prevent wellbore instability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts shaker operating parameters based on real-time cuttings measurements. The vibration amplitude, frequency, and screen size are not fixed but are continuously modified according to the measured cuttings volume and characteristics, enabling the system to adapt to changing drilling conditions and maintain optimal solids separation efficiency.
2Reliability
If cuttings accumulation is monitored, then stuck pipe incidents can be detected early, but additional monitoring equipment and complexity are required
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses the existing shale shaker infrastructure and adds minimal measurement equipment to achieve cuttings monitoring. The shale shaker itself serves as part of the monitoring system by providing the platform for measuring cuttings volume away from the shaker, reducing the need for separate, complex monitoring installations while still enabling early detection of stuck pipe conditions.
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
Enhances the effectiveness and efficiency of drilling operations by ensuring proper solids control, reducing costly stuck pipe incidents and maintaining efficient drilling fluid circulation, thereby decreasing operational costs.
Implementation Method 1
Integration of an imaging system with solids control equipment, including shakers and conveyor belts, to monitor and analyze drill cuttings in real-time, allowing for adjustments to operating parameters such as vibration amplitude, frequency
Implementation Method 2
a conveyor belt disposed below the shaker, wherein the shaker disposes the drill cuttings on to the conveyor belt
Data Source
AI summary
A system for measuring drill cuttings may comprise a conveyor belt disposed below a shaker, wherein the shaker disposes the drill cuttings on to the conveyor belt, and an imaging system connected to the conveyor belt by a frame, wherein the frame positions the imaging system to form a field of view on the conveyor belt with the imaging system. The system may further include an information handling system configured to operate the shaker and the conveyor belt. A method for identifying a size of drill cuttings may comprise dropping drill cuttings on a conveyor belt from a shaker, operating the conveyor belt to move the drill cuttings through a field of view, viewing the drill cuttings in the field of view with an imaging system, and sizing the drill cuttings based at least in part on one or more calibration blocks attached to the conveyor belt.