US 12,228,000 B2
Mud returns evaporative cooling
Rae Andrew Younger, Aberdeenshire (GB); and Richard Mark Pye, Aberdeen (GB)
Assigned to Saudi Arabian Oil Company, Dhahran (SA)
Filed by SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY, Dhahran (SA)
Filed on Apr. 22, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/660,288.
Prior Publication US 2023/0340844 A1, Oct. 26, 2023
Int. Cl. E21B 21/06 (2006.01); E21B 36/00 (2006.01); F28C 1/14 (2006.01); F28F 1/42 (2006.01)
CPC E21B 21/067 (2013.01) [E21B 21/065 (2013.01); E21B 36/001 (2013.01); F28C 1/14 (2013.01); F28F 1/42 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
11. A system for cooling a drilling fluid, comprising:
a mud circulation system fluidly connecting the drilling fluid between a well and a surface; and
an evaporative cooler fluidly coupled to the mud circulation system,
wherein the evaporative cooler comprises a flow pipe in a serpentine configuration contained in a transportation frame, and
wherein an inlet to the flow pipe and an outlet to the flow pipe are fluidly connected to the mud circulation system; and
an intermediate cooler, wherein the intermediate cooler comprises a heat exchanger; and
an intermediate fluid flow pipe fluidly connecting an outlet of the evaporative cooler and an inlet of the evaporative cooler to the heat exchanger.