EP3262271A1 - Mud lift drilling system using ejector assembly in mud return line - Google Patents
Mud lift drilling system using ejector assembly in mud return lineInfo
- Publication number
- EP3262271A1 EP3262271A1 EP15882927.5A EP15882927A EP3262271A1 EP 3262271 A1 EP3262271 A1 EP 3262271A1 EP 15882927 A EP15882927 A EP 15882927A EP 3262271 A1 EP3262271 A1 EP 3262271A1
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- fluid
- wellbore
- drilling
- ejector assembly
- return line
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Withdrawn
Links
- 238000005553 drilling Methods 0.000 title claims abstract description 104
- 239000012530 fluid Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 159
- XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N water Substances O XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims abstract description 32
- 238000004891 communication Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 10
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 9
- 238000005086 pumping Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 6
- 238000007789 sealing Methods 0.000 claims description 3
- 230000015572 biosynthetic process Effects 0.000 description 6
- 238000005755 formation reaction Methods 0.000 description 6
- 230000009977 dual effect Effects 0.000 description 3
- 238000007667 floating Methods 0.000 description 3
- 230000002706 hydrostatic effect Effects 0.000 description 3
- 238000002347 injection Methods 0.000 description 3
- 239000007924 injection Substances 0.000 description 3
- 230000008878 coupling Effects 0.000 description 2
- 238000010168 coupling process Methods 0.000 description 2
- 238000005859 coupling reaction Methods 0.000 description 2
- 238000005520 cutting process Methods 0.000 description 2
- 230000000712 assembly Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000000429 assembly Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000001143 conditioned effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000004020 conductor Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000006073 displacement reaction Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000007788 liquid Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000013011 mating Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000011144 upstream manufacturing Methods 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
- E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
- E21B21/00—Methods or apparatus for flushing boreholes, e.g. by use of exhaust air from motor
- E21B21/08—Controlling or monitoring pressure or flow of drilling fluid, e.g. automatic filling of boreholes, automatic control of bottom pressure
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
- E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
- E21B21/00—Methods or apparatus for flushing boreholes, e.g. by use of exhaust air from motor
- E21B21/001—Methods or apparatus for flushing boreholes, e.g. by use of exhaust air from motor specially adapted for underwater drilling
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
- E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
- E21B23/00—Apparatus for displacing, setting, locking, releasing or removing tools, packers or the like in boreholes or wells
- E21B23/14—Apparatus for displacing, setting, locking, releasing or removing tools, packers or the like in boreholes or wells for displacing a cable or a cable-operated tool, e.g. for logging or perforating operations in deviated wells
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
- E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
- E21B33/00—Sealing or packing boreholes or wells
- E21B33/02—Surface sealing or packing
Definitions
- This disclosure is related to the field of controlled pressure drilling and "dual gradient" drilling. More particularly the disclosure relates to apparatus and methods for controlled pressure and/or dual gradient drilling that use ejector assemblies.
- International Application Publication No. WO 2013/0177331 describes a managed pressure drilling system using a pump in a drilling fluid return line.
- the pump may be used to maintain a selected fluid level in a drilling riser disposed above a top of a subsea wellbore, wherein the riser extends from a subsea wellhead at the water bottom to a drilling platform above the water surface.
- the fluid level may be maintained at a selected elevation at or below the water surface so that a pressure in the wellbore may be maintained at or below the hydrostatic pressure of the fluid column in the riser were it to extend from the bottom of the wellbore to the surface.
- the pressure elevation gradient of the fluid in the riser may be different than the fluid pressure elevation gradient of fluid ("mud") pumped into a drill string used to drill the wellbore below the water bottom.
- mud fluid pressure elevation gradient of fluid
- a riser may be omitted, and drilling fluid being discharged from the wellbore may be returned to the surface by a separate return line having a pump therein.
- drilling rig floating drilling platform
- drilling fluid may be pumped using a mud pump 26, through an interior conduit in a drill string 16 suspended by a kelly or top drive, down to a drilling tool, which may terminate in a drill bit (not shown) that cuts through the sub-bottom formations to lengthen the wellbore 15.
- the drilling fluid serves several purposes, some of which are to transport drill cuttings out of the borehole, and to maintain fluid pressure in the wellbore 15 to prevent collapse of the wellbore 15 and prevent entry of fluids into the wellbore 15 from exposed formations. Efficient transport of drill cuttings requires that the drilling fluid is relatively viscous.
- the drilling fluid flows back through an annulus 30 between the wellbore wall, a liner or casing 14 and the drill string 16, and up to the drilling rig 1, where the drilling fluid may be treated in devices 24 for such purposes and conditioned before being pumped back down into the wellbore 15. In some cases, the combined pressure of pumping and the selected density of the drilling fluid will result in a head of pressure and/or pressure gradient in the wellbore annulus 30 that is undesirable.
- the returning drilling fluid can be pumped out of the annulus 30 and up to the drilling rig 1 to reduce the fluid pressure in the annulus 30.
- the annular volume above the wellbore may include a riser that may be partially or completely filled with drilling fluid and/or with a different riser fluid.
- the density of the riser fluid, if used, may be less than that of the drilling fluid. It is also possible to drill such wellbores without a riser by using a rotating control head or rotating diverter coupled to the top of the wellbore (i.e., the wellhead) to seal against the drill string 16.
- the drilling fluid pressure existing at the level of the water bottom may be controlled from the drilling rig 1 by selecting the inlet pressure to the subsea mud lift pump 20.
- the height Hi of the column of drilling fluid above the water bottom depends on the selected inlet pressure of the subsea mud lift pump 20, the density of the drilling fluid, the density of the riser fluid and the relative vertical elevation levels of each such fluid in the riser.
- the outlet 17 from the annulus 30 to the subsea mud lift pump 20 can be arranged at a level below the water bottom, by coupling a first pump pipe (not shown in FIG. 1) to the annulus at a level below the water bottom.
- a first pump pipe not shown in FIG. 1
- the riser 12 be provided with a dump valve.
- a dump valve of this type can be set to open at a particular pressure for outflow of drilling fluid to the body of water. Other examples may omit a dump valve.
- a riser to exert part of the hydrostatic pressure on the wellbore annulus is optional, and in other implementations the riser may be omitted.
- Such implementations may use a rotating control head or other rotatable sealing device (not shown) to seal the annular space above the top of the wellbore 15 while enabling rotation and axial motion of the drill string 16.
- reference number 1 denotes the drilling rig comprising a support structure 2, a deck 4 and a derrick 6.
- the support structure 2 is placed on the water bottom 8 and projects above the surface 10 of the sea.
- the deck may also be supported by a floating platform (not shown).
- a riser section 12 of a liner 14 extends from the water bottom 8 or a subsea wellhead (not shown) up to the deck 4, while the liner 14 runs further down into the wellbore 15.
- the riser section 12 is provided with required well head valves (not shown).
- the drill string 16 projects from the deck 4 and down through the liner 14.
- a first pump pipe 17 may be coupled to the riser section 12 near the water bottom 8 via a valve 18 and the opposite end portion of the pump pipe 17 is coupled to the intake of the subsea mud lift pump 20.
- the subsea mud lift pump may be placed near the water bottom 8.
- a second pump pipe 22 runs from the pump 20 up to a collection tank 24 for drilling fluid on the deck 4.
- a tank 26A for a riser fluid communicates with the riser section 12 via a connecting pipe 28 at the deck 4.
- the connecting pipe 28 may have a volume meter (not shown).
- the density of the riser fluid is less than that of the drilling fluid, as explained above.
- the power supply for the subsea mud lift pump 20 is typically provided by an electrical cable (not shown) from the drilling rig 1, and the pressure at the inlet to the subsea mud lift pump 20 is selected from the drilling rig 1.
- the drilling fluid is pumped down through the drill string 16 in a manner that is known in the art, and returns to the deck 4 via an annulus 30 between the liner 14 and the drill string 16.
- the subsea mud lift pump 20 is started, the drilling fluid is returned from the annulus 30 via the subsea mud lift pump 20 to the collection tank 24 on the deck 4.
- FIG. 1 While the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 has the subsea mud lift pump 20 disposed near or on the water bottom 8, it should be understood that the subsea mud lift pump may be placed at any intermediate position along the return line 22. Thus, the depth of the subsea mud lift pump 20 in the body of water is not a limitation on the scope of the present invention.
- the volume of fluid flowing into and out of the tank 26 is typically monitored, making it possible to determine, e.g., whether drilling fluid is being lost into an exposed formation (i.e., one not sealed by the liner 14), or whether gas or liquid is flowing from an exposed formation and into the wellbore 15 and fluid circulation system.
- FIG 1 shows an example mud lift or dual gradient drilling system known in the art
- FIG 2 shows an example ejector assembly mud lift drilling system.
- FIG 3 shows example embodiments of pump connections that may be used in various embodiments.
- FIG. 4 shows an example ejector assembly in more detail.
- FIG. 5 shows another embodiment wherein an annular seal is used to seal an annular space between the drill string and the riser.
- FIG. 6 shows an example of a retrievable ejector disposed in a fluid return line.
- most lifting devices that perform the function of the subsea mud lift pump (20 shown in FIG. 1) are either constant lift/constant head pumps in the form of a centrifugal pump or are positive displacement pumps operated by hydraulic pressure or an electric motor.
- An example mud lift device will now be described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3 that may be directly driven by a power fluid and which has no moving parts. Certain components of the drilling system shown in FIG. 1 have been omitted from FIGS. 2 and 3 for the sake of clarity.
- a drilling riser 14 may extend from a wellhead BOPE located on the bottom 8 of a body of water and may extend to a drilling platform 4 at the water surface as explained with reference to FIG. 1.
- a drill string 16 may have drilling tools at a bottom end thereof of types known in the art, generally terminated by a drill bit 16A which may be rotated by means not shown to extend the length of a wellbore 15.
- Drilling fluid may be pumped into an interior of the drill string 16 by a pump (26 in FIG. 3). During drilling, the drilling fluid may leave the wellbore 15 and enter the base of the riser 14.
- a fluid outlet 14C may be provided in the riser 14 at a selected depth above the wellhead BOPE and below the drilling platform 4.
- a jet assembly or ejector assembly D may be included in a drilling fluid return path extending from the fluid outlet 14C to the base of a fluid return line 22B.
- the fluid return line 22B may extend to the drilling platform 4.
- the fluid return 22B line may extend substantially vertically to the drilling platform 4 to enable retrieval and replacement of the ejector assembly D using, for example wireline or slickline if required.
- the structure of the fluid return line 22B in other embodiments may be other than vertical or substantially vertical.
- a power fluid line 22A may extend from the drilling platform 4 to a power fluid inlet of the ejector assembly D.
- Power fluid which may be the same fluid as the drilling fluid, may be pumped into the power fluid line 22A from a separate pump on the drilling platform (see 26B in FIG. 3) or may have some of the discharged fluid from the drilling fluid pump (see 26 in FIG. 3) diverted into the power fluid line 22A.
- a pressure sensor C may be in pressure communication with the interior of the drilling riser 14 at a selected position.
- the pressure sensor C may be in signal communication with a pump controller (not shown separately) which may selectively operate the power fluid pump (26B in FIG. 3) or a diverter valve (not shown) to selectively divert an amount of flow from the drilling fluid pump (26 in FIG. 3).
- a rate of flow of power fluid into the power fluid inlet of the ejector assembly D may be controlled so that a selected pressure in the drilling riser 14 is measured by the pressure sensor C.
- a selected pressure gradient may be maintained within the drilling riser 14 and the wellbore 15 outside the drill string 16.
- a variable flow restriction such as a controllable orifice choke 23 or similar controllable flow restrictor may be used at any selected position in the flow path between the wellbore fluid outlet and the working fluid inlet of the ejector assembly D so that the ejector assembly D may be operated at a substantially constant power fluid flow rate and fluid level in the riser 14 and resulting wellbore pressure may be controlled by controlling the controllable orifice choke 23.
- a booster line 14A may be included alongside the drilling riser 14 for injecting fluid when required, for example, such as when necessary to circulate out a fluid that may enter the wellbore 15 from a sub-bottom formation.
- the ejector assembly D may include a diffuser comprising a converging inlet diffuser D3 and a diverging outlet diffuser D4.
- An outlet of the outlet diffuser D4 may be coupled to the fluid return line (22B in FIG. 2).
- a working fluid inlet Dl to the ejector assembly D may be in fluid communication with the wellbore fluid outlet (e.g., riser outlet 14C in FIG. 2).
- Power or motive fluid pumped through the power fluid line 22A may enter the ejector assembly D through a power fluid inlet.
- the power fluid is discharged in the interior of the ejector assembly D upstream of the converging diffuser D3 through a nozzle D2.
- FIG. 5 Another embodiment shown in FIG. 5 may include a seal 16A disposed in the annular space between the interior of the riser 14 and the exterior of the drill string 16.
- the seal 16A may be a rotatable seal such as a rotating control head, rotating diverter or rotating control device of any type known in the art.
- the seal 16A may generally be disposed axially above the position of the fluid outlet 14C.
- the seal 16A may be disposed proximate the drilling platform 4. The exact position of the seal 16A is not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.
- a rate of pumping fluid into the power fluid injection line 22 A may be selected to provide a selected fluid pressure at the riser outlet 14C independently of fluid pressure in the riser 16 above the seal 16A.
- FIG. 6 shows an example of an ejector D that may be replaced without the need to disconnect any components of the power fluid injection line (22A in FIG. 5) or the fluid return line (22B in FIG. 5).
- the ejector D may include a latch 52 of types well known in the art for mating with corresponding locking features 52A in the interior of the fluid return line 22B.
- the locking features may comprise collets or tangs that may be radially compressed when upward force is applied to a fishing neck 50, such as by using an "overshot" coupled to the end of a wireline, slickline, spoolable tube or other conveyance mechanism known in the art.
- a seal 54 may be disposed on the exterior of the ejector D to prevent movement of fluid between the exterior of the ejector D and the interior of the fluid return line 22B.
- the riser outlet 14C may be in fluid connection with the interior of the fluid return line 22B such that irrespective of the rotational orientation of the ejector D, the working fluid inlet (Dl in FIG. 4) is in fluid communication with the riser outlet 14C.
- Fluid from the power fluid injection line (22A in FIG. 5) may enter the ejector D from the bottom thereof as shown in FIG. 6. If during operation of a system using an ejector D such as shown in FIG.
- the fluid return line 22B may be opened from the surface, and an overshot (not shown in the Figures) may be lowered into the fluid return line 22B such as by extending a wireline, slickline, coiled tubing or semi-stiff spoolable rod into the fluid return line 22B.
- an overshot (not shown in the Figures) may be lowered into the fluid return line 22B such as by extending a wireline, slickline, coiled tubing or semi-stiff spoolable rod into the fluid return line 22B.
- the entire ejector D may be removed from the fluid return line 22B and a replacement ejector may be inserted therein by lowering the replacement ejector into the fluid return line 22B and allowing the latching mechanism 52 to engage the locking features 52A therein.
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- Geology (AREA)
- Mining & Mineral Resources (AREA)
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Environmental & Geological Engineering (AREA)
- Fluid Mechanics (AREA)
- General Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- Geochemistry & Mineralogy (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Earth Drilling (AREA)
Abstract
Description
Claims
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US201562121189P | 2015-02-26 | 2015-02-26 | |
PCT/CA2015/000317 WO2016134442A1 (en) | 2015-02-26 | 2015-05-14 | Mud lift drilling system using ejector assembly in mud return line |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
EP3262271A1 true EP3262271A1 (en) | 2018-01-03 |
EP3262271A4 EP3262271A4 (en) | 2018-10-17 |
Family
ID=56787824
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP15882927.5A Withdrawn EP3262271A4 (en) | 2015-02-26 | 2015-05-14 | Mud lift drilling system using ejector assembly in mud return line |
Country Status (3)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (1) | US20180073314A1 (en) |
EP (1) | EP3262271A4 (en) |
WO (1) | WO2016134442A1 (en) |
Families Citing this family (3)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US10990717B2 (en) * | 2015-09-02 | 2021-04-27 | Halliburton Energy Services, Inc. | Software simulation method for estimating fluid positions and pressures in the wellbore for a dual gradient cementing system |
EP3908731A4 (en) * | 2019-01-09 | 2022-08-10 | Kinetic Pressure Control, Ltd. | Managed pressure drilling system and method |
NO346362B1 (en) * | 2021-01-12 | 2022-06-27 | Electrical Subsea & Drilling As | A system and method for circulating drilling fluid in connection with open water drilling |
Family Cites Families (11)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US3815673A (en) * | 1972-02-16 | 1974-06-11 | Exxon Production Research Co | Method and apparatus for controlling hydrostatic pressure gradient in offshore drilling operations |
US6530437B2 (en) * | 2000-06-08 | 2003-03-11 | Maurer Technology Incorporated | Multi-gradient drilling method and system |
BRPI0212430B1 (en) * | 2001-09-10 | 2017-05-02 | Ocean Riser Systems As | drilling device to compensate for changes in equivalent mud circulation density (ecd), or dynamic pressure, and method for compensating for equivalent mud circulation density (ecd), or for increasing or decreasing dynamic pressure |
US8403059B2 (en) * | 2010-05-12 | 2013-03-26 | Sunstone Technologies, Llc | External jet pump for dual gradient drilling |
AU2011258027A1 (en) * | 2010-05-28 | 2012-12-20 | David Randolph Smith | Method and apparatus to control fluid flow subsea wells |
US8162063B2 (en) * | 2010-09-03 | 2012-04-24 | Stena Drilling Ltd. | Dual gradient drilling ship |
US8783379B2 (en) * | 2011-08-03 | 2014-07-22 | Roger Sverre Stave | Fluid transfer device usable in managed pressure and dual-gradient drilling |
US9328575B2 (en) * | 2012-01-31 | 2016-05-03 | Weatherford Technology Holdings, Llc | Dual gradient managed pressure drilling |
US9057233B2 (en) * | 2012-01-31 | 2015-06-16 | Agr Subsea As | Boost system and method for dual gradient drilling |
GB2520182B (en) * | 2012-04-27 | 2017-01-11 | Schlumberger Holdings | Wellbore annular pressure control system and method using gas lift in drilling fluid return line |
US9249637B2 (en) * | 2012-10-15 | 2016-02-02 | National Oilwell Varco, L.P. | Dual gradient drilling system |
-
2015
- 2015-05-14 EP EP15882927.5A patent/EP3262271A4/en not_active Withdrawn
- 2015-05-14 US US15/552,302 patent/US20180073314A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 2015-05-14 WO PCT/CA2015/000317 patent/WO2016134442A1/en active Application Filing
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
WO2016134442A1 (en) | 2016-09-01 |
US20180073314A1 (en) | 2018-03-15 |
EP3262271A4 (en) | 2018-10-17 |
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Legal Events
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DAV | Request for validation of the european patent (deleted) | ||
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A4 | Supplementary search report drawn up and despatched |
Effective date: 20180913 |
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RIC1 | Information provided on ipc code assigned before grant |
Ipc: E21B 21/08 20060101AFI20180907BHEP |
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18D | Application deemed to be withdrawn |
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