US 12,442,261 B1
Systems and methods to efficiently cool drilling mud
Brian D. Hill, Centerville, TX (US)
Assigned to Ensight Synergies LLC, Centerville, TX (US)
Filed by Ensight Synergies LLC, Centerville, TX (US)
Filed on Mar. 17, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/607,513.
Application 18/607,513 is a continuation in part of application No. 18/219,024, filed on Jul. 6, 2023, granted, now 11,933,120.
Application 18/219,024 is a continuation in part of application No. 18/061,468, filed on Dec. 4, 2022, granted, now 11,713,634, issued on Aug. 1, 2023.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/380,572, filed on Oct. 22, 2022.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/377,046, filed on Sep. 25, 2022.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/376,097, filed on Sep. 18, 2022.
Int. Cl. E21B 21/06 (2006.01)
CPC E21B 21/06 (2013.01) 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for cooling a drilling mud at a well site, the method comprising the steps of:
(a) drawing the drilling mud from a last active volume mud tank of a plurality of active volume mud tanks;
(b) pumping the drilling mud through a heat-exchanger apparatus, wherein the heat exchanger of the heat-exchanger apparatus comprises a tube-and-shell heat exchanger;
(c) returning the drilling mud after it has been cooled through the heat-exchanger apparatus to the last active volume mud tank; and
(d) pumping the drilling mud from one or more of the plurality of active volume mud tanks to a drill string;
wherein the pumping rate for pumping of the drilling mud through the heat-exchanger apparatus is adjusted to be higher than the pumping rate of pumping the drilling mud from the one or more the plurality of active volume mud tanks to the drill string.