Hydril USA Distribution LLC

Hydril USA Manufacturing LLC

Ahmet Duman

Dat Manh Nguyen

Devon Daniel

Edward Walfred Eskola

Robert Arnold Judge

David Albert Dietz

Michael Denk

Judge Robert Arnold Arnold

A method of controlling bottom hole pressure in a wellbore, including pumping drilling mud into the wellbore, estimating the annular friction pressure in the wellbore, and measuring the pressure of the drilling mud exiting the wellbore. The method includes measuring the flow rate of the drilling mud exiting the wellbore, and, based on the pressure of the drilling mud exiting the wellbore, the flow rate of the drilling mud exiting the wellbore, expected annular friction pressure in the wellbore, and rotational speed of drill string in the wellbore, controlling the flow rate of drilling mud exiting the wellbore to achieve a specified bottom hole pressure.

Mud pump annular friction pressure control system and method

A method of pumping material from a sea floor to a vessel on a sea surface, including the steps of collecting material from the sea floor using a production tool, connecting the production tool to the vessel with a riser including a riser transfer pipe, and pumping the material from the production tool to the vessel using a subsea slurry lift pump positioned between the production tool and the vessel and attached to the production tool by the riser transfer pipe. The method further includes backflushing the riser transfer pipe by running seawater through the slurry lift pump into the riser transfer pipe toward the production tool.

Systems and methods for backflushing a riser transfer pipe

Drilling mud is lifted subsea to a drilling vessel with a mud pump having an internal bladder. Applying pressurized water to one side of the bladder urges it against a quantity of the mud to impart a lifting force onto the mud. Mud flow to and from the pump is controlled by valves driven by actuators. The actuators include a piston in a cylinder, a stem that connects the piston to a valve member, and ports for supplying fluid to opposing ends of the piston for selectively reciprocating the piston. Cavities are strategically location in the cylinder for absorbing vibrational forces generated when the piston reaches an end of its stroke.

Hydraulic cushion

A method and system for lifting drilling mud from subsea to a drilling vessel includes a pump having a body with a chamber, and a bladder in the chamber. The bladder spans the chamber to define water and mud sides in the chamber. A mud inlet valve allows mud into the mud side of the chamber; which moves the bladder into the water side and urges water from the water side of the chamber through a water exit valve. Pressurized water enters the chamber through a water inlet valve, which in turn pushes the bladder and mud from the chamber through a mud exit valve. The bladder separates the mud and water as it reciprocates in the chamber. A pressure control circuit equalizes pressure across the water valves, and a control valve provides a back pressure in a discharge of the pressure control circuit.

Decompression to fill pressure

Apparatuses useable in drilling installations for adjusting a mud return flow in a mud loop, at a location far from a mud tank are provided. An apparatus includes (1) a sensor located close to a seabed and configured to acquire values of at least one parameter related to a return mud flow, (2) a valve located near the sensor and configured to regulate the return mud flow, and (3) a controller connected to the valve and the sensor. The controller is configured to automatically control the valve to regulate the return mud flow towards achieving a value of a control parameter close to a predetermined value, based on the values acquired by the sensor. Methods of incorporating an apparatus in a drilling installation and retrofitting existing installations are also provided.

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Houston, TX, United States of America

Ahmet Duman