Title:
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR VARYING THE DENSITY OF DRILLING FLUIDS IN DEEP WATER OIL DRILLING APPLICATIONS
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO2004044366
Kind Code:
A3
Abstract:
A method and apparatus for controlling drilling mud density at a location either at the seabed (20) (or just above the seabed (20)) or alternatively below the seabed of wells (40) in deep water and ultra deep water applications are disclosed. The present invention combines abase fluid of lesser density than the mud required at the wellhead (300) to produce a diluted mud in the riser (80). By combining the appropriate quantities of drilling mud with base fluid, a riser mud density at or near the density of seawater may be achieved. The present invention also includes a wellhead injection device (32) for attachment to the wellhead (300) and for injecting the base fluid into the rising drilling mud at a location below the seabed (20). The riser charging lines (100) are used to carry the low density base fluid to the injection device (32) for injection into the drilling mud below the seabed (20). The cuttings are brought to the surface with the diluted mud and separated in the usual manner. The diluted mud is then passed through a centrifuge system to separate the heavier drilling mud from the lighter base fluid.
Inventors:
DE BOER LUC (US)
Application Number:
PCT/US2003/034993
Publication Date:
August 05, 2004
Filing Date:
November 03, 2003
Export Citation:
Assignee:
DE BOER LUC (US)
International Classes:
E21B1/00; E21B7/128; E21B21/00; E21B21/06; E21B21/08; E21B21/10; E21B21/14; E21B33/035; E21B33/076; E21B; (IPC1-7): E21B7/128
Foreign References:
| US6450262B1 | 2002-09-17 | |||
| US6230824B1 | 2001-05-15 | |||
| US4040264A | 1977-08-09 |
Other References:
See also references of EP 1558831A4
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