Liquid Nitrogen Cooling of Drilling Fluid Conduit
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Solution Overview
Problem
High temperatures within wellbores interfere with downhole equipment and drilling processes, leading to frequent temperature-related failures and performance issues in drilling fluids, cements, and other components, especially in long horizontal wells with high bottom-hole temperatures.
Innovation Solution
A cryogenic heat exchange system using liquid nitrogen to cool drilling fluid after it surfaces, with the system positioned at a surface location separate from the wellhead, where the fluid passes through a conduit surrounded by liquid nitrogen, and optionally through an intermediate tubular filled with water, to achieve effective heat exchange and reduce downhole temperatures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If drilling fluid is circulated through the wellbore at high temperatures, then drilling operations can continue in hot reservoirs, but equipment failures and performance issues increase due to high bottom-hole temperatures
Solution Approach 1:
The system cools the drilling fluid before it enters the wellbore by circulating it through a heat exchanger where it contacts cold nitrogen. This preliminary cooling action prevents the fluid from reaching high temperatures downhole, thereby maintaining equipment reliability while enabling continuous drilling operations in hot reservoirs.
2Reliability
If the drilling fluid temperature is reduced to improve equipment performance, then equipment failures decrease, but additional cooling equipment and infrastructure are required
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces nitrogen as an intermediary cooling medium between the drilling fluid and the cooling mechanism. The nitrogen circulates through the heat exchanger, absorbing heat from the drilling fluid without directly contacting it, thereby simplifying the overall system design while achieving effective cooling and improving equipment reliability.
3Reliability
If a cooling system is implemented to lower drilling fluid temperature, then equipment reliability improves, but the system complexity and initial setup requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system utilizes the natural circulation properties of the drilling fluid and nitrogen gases, leveraging existing pressure differentials and thermal gradients to drive the cooling process without requiring complex mechanical pumps or control systems. This self-service approach simplifies manufacturing and setup while maintaining improved equipment reliability.
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
The system effectively lowers the temperature of drilling fluid, reducing equipment failures, improving mud properties, and enabling drilling in higher-temperature regions, thus extending the operating envelope of downhole tools and facilitating the exploration and production from hot reservoirs.
Implementation Method 1
the drilling fluid passing through the drilling fluid conduit is cooled by heat exchange with the liquid nitrogen across a wall of the drilling fluid conduit
Data Source
AI summary
A system for cooling drilling fluid circulating in a wellbore drilled by a wellbore drilling system includes a drilling fluid conduit positioned at a surface location separate from a wellhead of the wellbore. Drilling fluid flowed from the wellbore and an outer jacket passes through the drilling fluid conduit. An inner surface of the outer jacket at least partially defines an interior volume within which the drilling fluid conduit is at least partially disposed. The interior volume is at least partially filled with liquid nitrogen, such that the drilling fluid passing through the drilling fluid conduit is cooled by heat exchange with the liquid nitrogen across a wall of the drilling fluid conduit prior to flowing back into the wellbore via a mud pump.