Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D88/00—Large containers
  • B65D88/54—Large containers characterised by means facilitating filling or emptying
  • B65D88/64—Large containers characterised by means facilitating filling or emptying preventing bridge formation
  • B65D88/66—Large containers characterised by means facilitating filling or emptying preventing bridge formation using vibrating or knocking devices
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
  • B63B—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING 
  • B63B27/00—Arrangement of ship-based loading or unloading equipment for cargo or passengers
  • B63B27/24—Arrangement of ship-based loading or unloading equipment for cargo or passengers of pipe-lines
  • B63B27/25—Arrangement of ship-based loading or unloading equipment for cargo or passengers of pipe-lines for fluidised bulk material
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D88/00—Large containers
  • B65D88/26—Hoppers, i.e. containers having funnel-shaped discharge sections
  • B65D88/28—Construction or shape of discharge section
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
  • B65D88/00—Large containers
  • B65D88/54—Large containers characterised by means facilitating filling or emptying
  • B65D88/548—Large containers characterised by means facilitating filling or emptying by pneumatic means
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
  • B65G53/00—Conveying materials in bulk through troughs, pipes or tubes by floating the materials or by flow of gas, liquid or foam
  • B65G53/04—Conveying materials in bulk pneumatically through pipes or tubes; Air slides
  • B65G53/06—Gas pressure systems operating without fluidisation of the materials
  • B65G53/10—Gas pressure systems operating without fluidisation of the materials with pneumatic injection of the materials by the propelling gas
  • B65G53/12—Gas pressure systems operating without fluidisation of the materials with pneumatic injection of the materials by the propelling gas the gas flow acting directly on the materials in a reservoir
• • 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
  • E21B21/01—Arrangements for handling drilling fluids or cuttings outside the borehole, e.g. mud boxes

Definitions

• the present invention in general, relates to a method and device for discharging particulate material generated, particularly during offshore exploration and production operations.
• the present invention relates to a method and device for discharging particulate material more efficiently and rapidly, for their final disposal so that drilling waste management can be done in a technically perfect manner. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method for discharging particulate material generated from exploration and production operations according to the preamble of claim 1 and to a device according to the preamble of claim 9.
• drill wastes such as drill cuttings, chemicals, metallic wear materials, petroleum residuals and the like are generated. All these are generally particulate material, sometimes paste-like, heavy and sticky.
• drill cuttings/particulate material for the sake of brevity
• drill cuttings/particulate material for the sake of brevity
• prior art has no teaching on substantial prevention of plugging of particulate material, within the temporary storage unit, during application of compressed air. No teaching is also there to simultaneously ensure efficient evacuation of particulate material into the units on transportation vessels, for final disposal of these drill wastes.
• the present invention provides a methodology and a device that specifically solves the two problems as mentioned in the preceding paragraph. Precisely, the bridging and plugging problem is substantially sorted out and simultaneously, efficient discharge of particulate material into storage tanks on the transport vessel is also ensured.
• the present invention provides a method for discharging particulate material generated during exploration and production operations.
• the method comprises allowing particulate material to enter at least one container having a storage tank with a top portion and a bottom portion.
• a control valve at the bottom portion of the tank is kept closed during such inflow of particulate material into the tank.
• the tank is simultaneously vibrated by means of vibration means such as motors. These motors are connected directly to the tank and due to such vibrations; the particulate material is discharged freely from the lower portion of the tank into the evacuation unit.
• the evacuation of material from the evacuation unit to a transportation vessel is enhanced by airflow in a cyclone motion, created by the evacuation unit due to its configuration.
• particulate material is allowed to enter the container by means of inlet pipes and during such filling of material, excess air is vented out through an air outlet bend that runs into an air outlet vent and the inlet pipes are closed during passage of particulate material into the evacuation unit .
• the air outlet vent is closed during material inflow from the tank, into the evacuation unit and air is blown through the inlet pipe lines and the vibrations created in the tank are prevented from being transferred to the frame and thus to the base by dampers, which are suitably located so as to suspend the upper portion and the lower portion of the tank, on a frame structure.
• the evacuation unit is a pneumatic blower, which creates a predetermined recoil pressure inside the tank for removing all left over material along the walls of the tank, once the discharging of material from the tank into the blower is over and the control valve is open.
• the control valve is closed and the vibration motors are stopped and air pressure is increased by compressing air inside the blower via its air inlet pipe by opening an air inlet valve and when sufficient working discharge pressure is achieved the material and air are discharged out of the blower via its material outlet pipe by opening a material outlet valve , for feeding into storage tanks on a transportation vessel.
• the next filling cycle is started by opening the valve to refill the pneumatic blower from the lower portion of the tank and the same steps of filling and discharging are repeated.
• Another aspect of the present invention provides a device for discharging particulate material generated during exploration and production operations. It comprises a container having a storage tank with a top portion and a bottom portion, the bottom portion has a control valve for stopping or discharging of material from the bottom portion of the tank. Vibration means such as motors are connected directly to the tank for vibrating the tank during discharging material from the bottom portion of the tank into an evacuation unit operatively connected to the lower portion of the control valve.
• the evacuation unit has a configuration such that during evacuation of material through it to a transportation vessel, cyclone motion can be effected.
• Figure 1 is a front view of the device according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention described.
• Figure 2 is an exploded front view of the preferred embodiment shown in figure 1 without the frame structure and without the inlet and outlet pipes for the sake of clear understanding.
• Figure 1 illustrates a schematic front view of the device A. It comprises of a storage tank, for temporarily storing particulate material.
• the upper portion of this tank is a cylindrical bulk tank 16a, while the lower portion is conical 16b.
• the lower end of the conical portion 16b of the tank has an extension joint 7.
• the latter at its lower end has a control valve 8, which connects at its bottom portion with a pneumatic blower 10.
• tank unit or device The tank in its entirety and the other features (hereinafter sometimes referred together as tank unit or device) as described in the two preceding paragraphs are made in one piece and all these are suspended on frame 14, by means of dampers 5.
• the dampers 5 are located close to the middle portion of the cylindrical portion 16a and close to the lower portion of the cone 16b so that the entire tank unit is perfectly suspended on the frame 14.
• the positions of these dampers may vary, depending upon the structure of the frame 14 and the tank unit and all these fall within the scope of the present invention.
• the entire device is made in one piece; it occupies minimum base area on the rig/ship. This aspect also ensures that the device is easy to carry, replace, install and uninstall.
• the equipment is built on shore and is transported out to the rigs or ships by supply vessels.
• dampers 5 are actually vibration dampers as it would be clear from the functioning of the device, as explained later.
• Vibration means such as motors 6 are provided at the two sides of the conical portion 16b at its lower end. These are essentially in direct contact with the tank and can be located in other positions as well.
• the motors 6 are adjustable, in respect of frequency and amplitude. The functions of these motors 6 have been explained later.
• Pipe inlet 1 enter into the top portion of the cylindrical part 16a by means of an inlet bend 2. These bring particulate material into the tank.
• the air outlet bent 3 originating from the top portion of the tank, connects to an air outlet vent 4. These release the excess air during filling up of the tank with particulate material. Detailed functions of all these have been explained later.
• the tank unit along with the frame 14 is placed on the rig/ship, for temporary storage and then for transportation of particulate material/drill cuttings, for its final disposal.
• the frame 14 is locked at its four corners, with suitable locks 15.
• the blower 10 For transportation of material from the blower 10 to a storage tank/container (not shown) on a transport vessel (not shown), the blower 10 has a suitable configuration. This configuration enhances the transportation of material by generating cyclone motion. This configuration would be clear from figures 1 and 2. Referring again to figure 1 , the blower 10 has a conical cross-section.
• the blower 10 At one side of the blower 10, there is an air inlet pipe 12, through which compressed air is thrust inside the blower 10.
• the air inlet valve 9 controls opening and closing of the air inlet pipe 12.
• material outlet pipe 13 On the other side of the blower 10 there is material outlet pipe 13, opening and closing of which is controlled by the material outlet valve 1 1 .
• bypass line (17) and corresponding bypass valve (17) provided between the air inlet tube (12) and the material outlet pipe (13), whose functions will be described more detailed later.
• FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the tank unit in its entirety.
• the inlet and outlet pipes and the frame 14 are not shown for better understanding.
• Figure 2 clearly illustrates the structure of the tank unit, as explained with reference to figure 1 hereinbefore.
• the top portion 16a of the tank is cylindrical and the lower portion is a conical chute 16b.
• Top end of the expansion joint 7 is connected to the lower end of the cone 16b while its lower end is connected to the control valve 8, the latter at its bottom end being connected to the top end of the blower 10.
• the position of the vibration dampers 5 and the vibration motors 6 are also clear. Since the vibration motors 6 are in contact with the tank so the vibration produced is more efficiently conveyed into the tank unit.
• Figure 2 also makes it clear that the device with all connections at the bottom are made in one piece and hence occupies minimum base space on the rig or on the ship. That apart, figure 2 makes it clear that the device A (see Fig. 1 ), can be easily carried, replaced, installed and uninstalled for its being in one piece as explained before.
• the control valve 8 in figure 2 is shown as a dome valve. However, the invention is not restricted to this and it may be knife valve as well or any other type of valve as known to persons skilled in the art.
• drill cuttings (drilling mud and/or drilling fluid)/ particulate material from a preceding sieving and cleaning step, is fed to the top portion of the cylindrical unit 16a by means of the inlet pipe 1.
• the purpose of the tank 16a, 16b which is usually placed on a drilling installation rig/drilling ship or FPSO, is to store the drill cuttings for further transport to other containers e.g. on board a supply vessel or other ship for transport to shore. Since the device most often, but not necessarily, is placed on a drilling rig the whole device is placed in a frame 14 in order to hoist the whole device onto or from a deck.
• the compact embodiment is to achieve as little "footprint" as possible on the deck, due to space limitations.
• the inlet tube 1 goes from the bottom of the device to the top of the closed bulk tank 16, but this arrangement is a secondary feature in order to get all the inlets and outlets in the bottom of the whole structure when used as on a drilling rig/drilling ship and so on.
• the entire functioning is explained sequentially with reference to the figures 1 and 2.
• the sieved and cleared material is transported into the tank via the material inlet pipe 1 through the material inlet bend 2 and into the tank.
• the transportation air is ventilated out via the material outlet bend 3 and further through the material outlet pipe 4.
• the material is then temporary stored in the tank, keeping the control valve 8 closed, until a typical transportation vessel arrives on location.
• the material is first moved down into the pneumatic blower 10. This process is enabled as the control valve 8 is opened between the conical hopper 16b and the pneumatic blower 10. Immediately and simultaneously, the vibration motors 6 start and create vibrations into the tank 16a, 16b. This is possible as the tank is suspended in the tank frame 14 via the vibration dampers 5. The material is vibrated free from the tank wall (both from the walls of the cylindrical tank 16a and the conical hopper 16b) and with help from gravity and moves through the valve 8 and into the pneumatic blower 10. Hence, this get rids substantially of the formation of bridge/plugs within the tank. This aspect of making the temporary storage tank dynamic simultaneously, with emptying of material from the tank is unique. The vibration motors 6 being in contact with the tank, particularly with the lower portion of the tank, facilitates this unique aspect.
• the vibration dampers 5 ensure that the vibrations created in the tank are prevented from being transferred to the frame 14 and thus to the deck. This is also facilitated by the expansion joint 7 at the lower end of the conical chute 16b. Rubber or other resilient material are incorporated within these features to prevent the vibration to enter valve 8 and pneumatic blower 10 below.
• the material movement from bulk tank 16 to pneumatic blower 10 is preferably assisted by closing the vent air outlet pipe 4 and blowing air through the material inlet pipe 1 , while the control valve 8 is open and the micro vibrations created by the motors 6 are on.
• the pneumatic blower 10 creates an assisting recoil pressure to create a particle lift off pressure/movement to help release the material from the walls of the cylindrical portion 16a and also from the walls of the conical hopper 16b. This is achieved by continuing to blow air into the pneumatic blower 10 through the air inlet 12 by opening the air inlet valve 9, after the material has been discharged into the blower 10 from the tank and material outlet valve 1 1 has been closed.
• the recoil pressure is monitored, varied and controlled depending on effect required.
• the material outlet valve 1 1 is closed and the compressor(not shown) continues feeding air via the air inlet pipe 12, then via bypass valve (18) and a bypass pipe (17) to outlet pipe 13 (not shown) and then through the material outlet pipe 13, until the material reach the transportation vessel.
• the material outlet pipe 13 is so configured such that, even if the material outlet valve 1 1 is closed, it will continue to allow passage of air through the bypass pipe.
• the device according to present invention can also be used as temporary storage for other processes as mechanical dryers, pelletizers and thermal dryers of the material on/off location.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Mining & Mineral Resources (AREA)
• Geology (AREA)
• Geochemistry & Mineralogy (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Environmental & Geological Engineering (AREA)
• Fluid Mechanics (AREA)
• General Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Ocean & Marine Engineering (AREA)
• Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Control And Other Processes For Unpacking Of Materials (AREA)
• Air Transport Of Granular Materials (AREA)
• Filling Or Emptying Of Bunkers, Hoppers, And Tanks (AREA)

Priority Applications (1)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

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Cited By (5)

Citations (12)

Family Cites Families (1)

• 2014
  • 2014-11-26 NO NO20141422A patent/NO339852B1/no unknown
• 2015
  • 2015-11-26 WO PCT/NO2015/050224 patent/WO2016085349A1/en active Application Filing
  • 2015-11-26 GB GB1709490.5A patent/GB2550700B/en active Active

Patent Citations (12)

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