Hutchison Hayes, L. P.

Hutchison-hayes International, Inc.

Other

Lee Hilpert

Gary Lynn Hensley

A conical housing of a horizontal decanter centrifuge includes a discharge port liner that attaches to the conical housing from the outside of the housing. The discharge port is substantially rectangular in configuration, and the liner slides down into the port opening. The liner is coupled to the housing with bolts or similar releasable coupling apparatus.

Liner for a centrifuge discharge port

A three-phase decanting centrifuge is provided. Solids are removed from a slurry in the centrifuge in the conventional manner, as described above. The liquid separated from the slurry moves into a fluids reservoir. Centrifugal action classifies the fluids, with lighter fluids (typically oil) radially closer to the axis of rotation of the machine, while the heavier fluids are radially farther from the axis, i.e. at the bottom of the reservoir. Lighter fluids flow out a plurality of overflow tubes. Heavier fluids flow through a plurality of ports into a heavy fluids reservoir to be skimmed out by a pair of radially actuatable skimmer tubes. The skimmer tubes are preferably automatically operated based on the light transmissivity of the lighter and heavier fluids discharged from the machine.

Three phase decanter centrifuge

A method of retrofitting a centrifuge is provided. The method includes disassembling a known centrifuge and replacing a bowl section of the centrifuge outer body with a longer bowl section. The method further comprises replacing the conical beach section with a shorter beach section, i.e. a beach section having a greater slope. The screw conveyor is replaced with another screw conveyor having outlet nozzles adapted to impart rotational movement to the inlet feed. The retrofitted centrifuge provides enhanced performance through an additional length of cylindrical section, thereby making the clarification length longer, and improving the effectiveness of the centrifuge in removing solids from the inlet feed. The retrofitted centrifuge preferably remains mounted to the same pedestal as the centrifuge prior to retrofit.

Method of retrofitting a decanting centrifuge

A system which receives as inputs various measurements of solids and liquids in a clarification system and, from these measurements, determines the various constituents and their fractional makeup within the system. The measurements may be made manually or mechanically, but are preferably made manually. From a quantitative analysis of easily accessible sample points, data is acquired and plugged into a spread sheet program, which numerically and graphically displays the breakdown of the constituents which make up the solids and liquids discharged from a treatment stage or of the entire system.

Method and system for mass flow balance accounting

A method and apparatus selective remove undesirable low gravity components from the return stream of drilling mud. The apparatus receives mud returned from the well borehole and transfers the mud to a tank. Mud from the tank is treated in a separation system including a plurality of mass flow sensor to monitor operation of the system.

Selective apparatus and method for removing an undesirable cut from drilling fluid

A method of treating drill cuttings containing a detectable amount of hydrocarbon-based drilling fluid comprises injecting a non-toxic additive to the cuttings and mixing the cuttings and additive to the point where the amount of hydrocarbon-based drilling fluid is less than 1% by weight. The method of treating cuttings includes the additional step of taking the mixture of cuttings and additive and disposing of the mixture directly to the soil, preferably in the immediate vicinity of the well site. A system is provided for carrying out the method, including structure for adding a quantity of an chemical additive to cuttings carrying a quantity of drilling fluid. The system further provides a controller to determine the cuttings load within the system, and controls to vary the quantity of treatment chemicals added to the cuttings according to the cuttings load.

Cuttings treatment system

A drilling mud clarification or reclamation system is provided. High gravity and low gravity solids are removed from the drilling mud in respective centrifugal separator stages. A plurality of in-line mass flow sensors are provided to provide real-time indication of the effectiveness of the clarification of the drilling mud, and to provide control signals to a central control station. The heavier weight components are separated from the mud and returned to the system for further use. The lighter weight components are removed and are discarded to clean the mud. A cuttings dryer is provided to remove oil from cuttings which have been separated from a shale shaker stage. A de-sludging centrifuge is also provided to remove very fine cuttings which may have a harmful effect on the viscosity of the mud.

Drilling mud reclamation system with mass flow sensors

A purge system develops a positive pressure in an enclosure, with sufficient volumetric air flow to cool the electrical components. The system includes an air inlet hose, with the input into the inlet hose positioned in an unclassified (i.e. safe) area. The inlet hose couples to the suction of an air blower, which may be mounted inside or outside the enclosure, while the discharge of the air blower is inside the enclosure, thereby providing the necessary positive pressure (purge) within the enclosure. The air discharged from the air blower strikes a baffle, which distributes the blowing air throughout the bottom of the enclosure. The distributed air is then drawn into controller cabinets by dedicated cooling fans. A conduit system connects the controller cabinets to take the now heated air from the cabinets to a discharge outside the enclosure. The outlet of the conduit system may include a counter-weighted flapper valve to maintain the pressure within the enclosure.

Purge and cooling system for enclosure for hazardous environment

A method and apparatus are provided for receiving the solids discharge of a centrifuge, shaker, or other clarification system and further drying the solids discharge. The influent into the apparatus of the invention is in the form of a slurry, such as for example the solids discharge of a shaker or centrifuge in a drilling mud clarification system. The apparatus comprises a horizontal screen rotated at a high rate of speed to remove liquid from the slurry by centrifugal force. The horizontal screen is retained by a squirrel cage rotor so that high G-forces can be obtained. Within the horizontal screen is a screw conveyor which rotates at a speed slightly slower than the horizontal screen to define a controllable conveyor speed. In this way, the residence time of the solids in contact with the horizontal screen can be controlled to provide a drier solids discharge from the apparatus. The solids and liquids are provided with separate discharge ports.

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Livingston, TX, United States of America

Lee Hilpert