Drill Cuttings Transfer System and Related Methods

摘要

A system for handling drill cuttings conveys cuttings into bulk tanks via a conduit. The bulk tanks have a lower portion that converges to an elongated opening. A conveyance member positioned at the elongated opening forces the cuttings out of a discharge port at the bottom of the bulk tank. Once suitable conveyance member is a screw-type conveyor coupled to a motor that applies a motive force to the cuttings. The bulk tank lower portion can be formed as a wedge or trough that generally conforms to the configuration of the conveyance member. The bulk tanks hold the cuttings until it can be discharged via the discharge port to a transport vessel for processing or disposal. For offshore operations, the system includes a separation unit on the rig that forms the cuttings from fluid returning from the wellbore and a cuttings flow unit that conveys the cuttings from the separation unit to the bulk tanks.