Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.

Calaeris Energy + Environment Ltd.

Barry Hoffman

Rajesh C Kapila

A device for processing oil or gas well waste solids, the device including a pressurizing discharge unit having a casing. The casing includes a solids inlet and a water inlet. The solids inlet receives treated solids into a front end of the casing, where the treated solids are exposed to a reduced pressure in an internal chamber of the casing of less than atmospheric pressure. The water inlet receives water and adds the water to the treated solids in the internal chamber. The casing includes an extruder screw unit, the extruder screw unit having progressive screw sections located inside the internal chamber and corresponding to conveying mixing and pressurizing screw sections. The conveying screw section conveys the treated solids along a long axis length of the extruder screw unit from the solids inlet towards a discharge end of the casing while the reduced pressure is maintained, the mixing screw section mixes the treated solids and the water together to form a paste, and the pressurizing screw section conveys the paste towards the discharge end and generates, in a portion of the casing downstream from the mixing screw section, a backpressure that is greater than atmospheric pressure. The casing includes a die assembly to extrude the paste through an orifice of the die assembly located at the discharge end while maintaining the backpressure on the paste in the internal chamber. Method and system embodiments for processing oil or gas well waste solids are also disclosed.

Continuous extruded solids discharge

Provided are systems and methods that relate to separating drilling waste fluids. A method for separating a drilling waste fluid, the method comprising: introducing the drilling waste fluid into a thermal extraction chamber; allowing the drilling waste fluid to flow longitudinally along two screws disposed within the thermal extraction chamber, wherein each screw comprises a shaft, a first flite segment, and a first kneading block sequence; allowing the geometry of the screws to separate drilling waste fluid into evaporated fluid and solids; removing evaporated fluid through a first outlet port; removing solids through a second outlet port. A thermal extraction chamber for separating drilling waste fluids, wherein the thermal extraction chamber comprises: barrel; first screw; second screw, wherein first screw and second screw comprise identical profiles, wherein first screw and second screw comprise shaft, first flight segment, and first kneading block sequence; inlet port; first outlet port; second outlet port.

Enhancing screw geometry

Provided are systems and methods that are related to a fluid processing unit. A method for separating a drilling waste fluid, the method comprising: introducing drilling waste fluid into a thermal extraction chamber; allowing drilling waste fluid to flow longitudinally along two screws disposed within thermal extraction chamber, wherein each screw comprises a shaft, an orifice, and an internal heating element; allowing internal heating element to provide heat to thermal extraction chamber; allowing at least a portion of the drilling waste fluid to evaporate; removing evaporated fluid through a first outlet; removing solids through a second outlet. A thermal extraction chamber for separating drilling waste fluids, wherein thermal extraction chamber comprises: a barrel; a first screw; a second screw, wherein first screw and the second screw comprise a shaft, an orifice, a an internal heating element; an inlet port; a first outlet port; and a second outlet port.

Internally heated screws

Methods and systems for treating an oil/water vapor stream containing solids fines. Routing a feed composition of oil/water vapors containing fine solids to a condensing unit, combining the feed composition with a cooled OWS emulsion, forming a warmed OWS emulsion. The warmed OWS emulsion is routed to a surge vessel containing a volume of surge OWS emulsion, where after a first portion of the surge OWS emulsion is routed to a heat exchanger, forming the cooled OWS emulsion, and a second portion of the surge OWS emulsion is routed to an OWS separation unit. The OWS separation unit may be one or more disc stack centrifuges, in some cases preceded by one or more decanting centrifuges. In certain embodiments the oil/water vapor stream containing solids fines is generated from a thermal desorption unit, such as a turbulent vacuum thermal desorption unit. Systems may be integrated with thermal desorption units and drilling rigs.

Methods and systems for processing a vapor stream from a thermal desorption process

A solids discharge assembly for disposing of oil and gas well treated solids, the assembly including a discharge eductor and solids valve. The eductor includes a solids inlet, a fluid inlet, and a discharge outlet. Method and system embodiments for disposing of oil or gas well treated solids are also disclosed.

Continuous solids discharge

Feeding a slurry comprising inert solids, liquid hydrocarbons, liquid water and sometimes dissolves solids to a unit having a casing defining a thermal extraction chamber heated both directly and indirectly in which first and second intermeshing screws rotate, the screws in close tolerance with each other and with inside casing surfaces. The casing and screws define a tortuous flow path in which the slurry and a vaporous composition evolved therefrom flow. The intermeshing screws push the slurry toward a discharge end of the chamber at a first velocity while reducing pressure and increasing temperature in the chamber, while rotating the screws to create turbulent vacuum thermal conditions in the chamber to physically transform some or all of the slurry into the vaporous composition. The vaporous composition traverses the tortuous flow path with a second velocity at least 1.5 times the first velocity, optionally forming a heated, substantially dry, composition comprising the inert solids.

Growing community of inventors

Wilcox, Canada

Barry Hoffman