Rig-Powered Mud Pump Assembly for Shared Drilling and Cementing
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing land-based drilling operations involve a complex and costly setup with numerous independent equipment components for mud pumping and cement mixing, requiring separate generators and motive units, which increases transportation and maintenance expenses and occupies substantial space at the wellsite.
Innovation Solution
Integrate a mud pump assembly on a rig with electric power to operate both mud pumps and a cement mixer, allowing the same mud pumps to be used for both drilling and cementing operations, thereby reducing the number of equipment components and simplifying the wellsite layout.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate generators and motive units are used for cement mixing equipment, then the cementing system can operate independently, but the equipment complexity and number of components increases substantially
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the cement mixing equipment with the rig's existing electrical system by connecting the cement mixer to the rig's electrical outlet. This merging eliminates the need for separate generators and motive units, reducing the number of components while maintaining operational capability through the integrated power system.
Solution Approach 2:
The rig's electrical system is designed to serve multiple functions - it powers both the original rig equipment and the additional cement mixing equipment. This multi-functionality allows the single electrical system to replace multiple dedicated power sources, reducing overall system complexity.
2Reliability
If dedicated diesel engines power each equipment component, then each component can operate autonomously, but transportation and maintenance expenses increase
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple equipment components (mud pumps, cement mixer) are merged into a single integrated electrical system powered by the rig's electrical outlet. This eliminates the need for multiple dedicated diesel engines, reducing transportation costs for fewer components and maintenance expenses for a simplified system.
3Adaptability or versatility
If numerous independent equipment components are deployed, then functional capabilities are comprehensive, but space requirements at the wellsite become substantial
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple functional capabilities into a compact integrated system where the cement mixing equipment is connected to the rig's existing electrical infrastructure. This consolidation reduces the spatial footprint at the wellsite while maintaining comprehensive functional capabilities through shared resources.
4Adaptability or versatility
If separate cement mixing equipment is used, then cementing operations can be performed, but the overall system cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The rig's electrical system is designed with universal applicability to power both drilling operations and cementing operations. By using the same electrical infrastructure for multiple purposes, the system avoids the need for separate dedicated systems, thereby reducing overall complexity and cost while maintaining full operational versatility.
Data Source
AI summary
A technique facilitates a drilling operation, e.g. a land-based drilling operation, by enabling a substantial reduction in the number of equipment components. According to an embodiment, a mud pump assembly is provided with at least one mud pump located on a rig positioned at a wellsite. Electric power is provided to the rig to enable operation of the rig, including operation of the mud pumps when pumping mud downhole to facilitate drilling of a borehole. The rig's electric power also is used to operate a cement mixer for mixing a cementing fluid. This cementing fluid may be pumped downhole during a cementing operation by the same mud pumps employed during the mud pumping operation.