Drilling mud level monitor and alarm

Patent · Tue Feb 13 04:00:00 EST 1979

OSTI ID:6930544

Logan, R W

Air under pressure feeds through a pin-to-box casing collar of a surface casing and into the drilling mud space inside. Drilling mud within the casing opposes air pressure in the line. When drilling mud level drops too low, air pressure in an air supply line to the collar falls below a threshold level and an alarm will sound, a chart recorder will record the event and its duration, and warning lights will flash. The chart recorder records the history of the pressure in the air supply line to indicate either an adequate drilling mud level or an inadequate level and plots these facts as a function of time. The air flow rate can quantitatively be determined by a rotometer. The rate at which air flows through the line can be adjusted. The objective is to maintain an annular hydrostatic pressure sufficient to prevent entry of formation fluid, and thus prevent blowouts. 9 claims.

• Assignee: EDB-84-080039
• Patent Number(s): US 4138887
• OSTI ID: 6930544
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
03 NATURAL GAS
030300 -- Natural Gas-- Drilling
Production
& Processing
AIR
AIR FLOW
ALARM SYSTEMS
BLOWOUT PREVENTERS
CONTROL
DESIGN
DRILLING FLUIDS
FLOW RATE
FLUID FLOW
FLUIDS
GAS FLOW
GASES
LEVEL INDICATORS
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
PRESSURE MEASUREMENT
PRESSURIZING
RESERVOIR FLUIDS