Apparatus for transporting a quantity of lost circulation material and methods of making and using same

Abstract

The present invention relates generally to systems and methods for transporting quantities of lost circulation material. The system includes at least one pump, at least one intake assembly, at least one exhaust assembly, and can also include at least one intake member operably connected to the intake assembly, and at least one exhaust member operably connected to the exhaust assembly.

1 . A method of transporting a quantity of lost circulation material, comprising the steps of: 
 providing a pump means for pumping having an intake assembly, an exhaust assembly, and a pump assembly disposed between the intake assembly and the exhaust assembly;    disposing the intake assembly in proximity to a quantity of lost circulation material;    disposing the exhaust assembly of the pump means in proximity to a predetermined location where the lost circulation material is to be transported; and    activating the pump means assembly such that the quantity of lost circulation material is drawn into the intake assembly of the pump means and discharged out of the exhaust assembly of the pump means thereby transporting the lost circulation material to the location.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of: 
 providing an exhaust member having a first end, a second end and a length extending between the first end and the second end of the exhaust member, the first end of the exhaust member operably connected to the exhaust assembly of the pump means and the second end of the exhaust member disposed in proximity to the predetermined, location where the quantity of lost circulation material is to be transported, such that, the quantity of lost circulation material is discharged out of the exhaust assembly into the first end of the exhaust member, through and along the length of the exhaust member and discharged out of the second end of the exhaust member thereby transporting the quantity of lost circulation material to the predetermined location.    
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of: 
 providing an intake member having a first end, a second end and a length extending between the first end and the second end, the first end of the intake member disposed in proximity to the quantity of lost circulation material the second end of the intake member operably connected to the intake assembly of the pump means, such that, the quantity of lost circulation material is drawn into the first end of the intake member, through the length of the intake member, out of the second end of the intake member through the pump means and discharged out of the exhaust assembly thereby transporting the quantity of lost circulation material to the predetermined location.    
   
   
       4 . A method of transporting a quantity of lost circulation material, comprising the steps of: 
 providing a pump means for pumping having an intake assembly and an exhaust assembly;    providing an intake member having a first end, a second end and a length, with the second end of the intake member operably connected to the intake assembly of the pump means;    disposing a quantity of lost circulation material in proximity to the first end of the intake member;    providing an exhaust member having a first end, a second end and a length, the first end of the exhaust member operably connected to the exhaust assembly of the pump means and the second end of the exhaust member disposed in proximity to a predetermined location where the lost circulation material is to be transported; and    activating the pump means such that the lost circulation material is drawn into the first end of the intake member, through the length of the intake member, out of the second end of the intake member, and along into the intake assembly of the pump means, through the pump means, into the first end of the exhaust member, through the length of the exhaust member and discharged out of the second end of the exhaust member thereby transporting the lost circulation material to the predetermined location.    
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the quantity of lost circulation material is a quantity of cotton seed hulls.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the quantity of lost circulation material is a quantity of cotton seed hulls.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the quantity of lost circulation material is a quantity of cotton seed hulls.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the quantity of lost circulation material is a quantity of cotton seed hulls.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the quantity of lost circulation material is selected from a group of quantities of lost circulation materials the group consisting of: cedar fiber, paper, sawdust, cellophane, calcium carbonate, phenolic plastic and combinations and derivations thereof.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the steps of providing the quantity of lost circulation material in a container and disposing the container in close proximity to the intake assembly of the pump means such that upon activation of the pump means, the quantity of lost circulation material is drawn from the container.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 2  further comprising the steps of providing the quantity lost circulation material in a container and disposing the container in close proximity to the intake assembly of the pump means such that upon activation of the pump means, the quantity of lost circulation material is drawn from the container.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 3  further comprising the steps of providing the quantity lost circulation material in a container and disposing the container in close proximity to the first end of the intake member such that upon activation of the pump means, the quantity of lost circulation material is drawn out of the container into the first end of the intake member.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 4  further comprising the steps of providing the quantity lost circulation material in a container and disposing the container in close proximity to the first end of the intake member such that upon activation of the pump means, the quantity of lost circulation material is drawn from the container.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 5  further comprising the step of providing the quantity lost circulation material in a container and disposing the container in close proximity to the intake assembly of the pump means such that upon activation of the pump means, the quantity of lost circulation material is drawn from the container.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 6  further comprising the step of providing the quantity lost circulation material in a container and disposing the container in close proximity to the intake assembly of the pump means such that upon activation of the pump means, the quantity of lost circulation material is drawn from the container.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 7  further comprising the step of providing the quantity lost circulation material in a container and disposing the container in close proximity to the intake assembly of the pump means such that upon activation of the pump means, the quantity of lost circulation material is drawn from the container.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising the step of providing the quantity lost circulation material in a container and disposing the container in close proximity to the intake assembly of the pump means such that upon activation of the pump means, the quantity of lost circulation material is drawn from the container.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 4  further comprising the step of providing an internal combustion engine and powering the pump means with the internal combustion engine.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 4  further comprising the step of providing an electric motor and powering the pump means with the electric motor.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 4  further comprising the step of discharging the lost circulation material from the second end of the exhaust member into a mud pit of a drilling system.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 4  further comprising the step of discharging the lost circulation material into the mud pit of a hydrocarbon drilling system.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 4  further comprising the step of discharging the lost circulation material from the second end of the exhaust member into a mixing hopper of a drilling system.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 4  further comprising the step of discharging the lost circulation material from the second end of the exhaust member into the mixing hopper of a hydrocarbon drilling system.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 4  further comprising the step of providing the quantity lost circulation material in a portable trailer and disposing the portable trailer in close proximity to the first end of the intake member such that upon activation of the pump means, the quantity of lost circulation material is drawn from the portable trailer.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 4  further comprising the step of providing the quantity lost circulation material in a tractor trailer and disposing the tractor trailer in close proximity to the first end of the intake member such that upon activation of the pump means, the quantity of lost circulation material is drawn from the tractor trailer.  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 4  further comprising the step of providing a mister in proximity to the second end of the exhaust member for reducing ambient airborne particles of lost circulation material.  
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising the step of providing a mister in proximity to the second end of the exhaust member for reducing ambient airborne particles of lost circulation material.  
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the step of providing the intake member the intake member is a flexible tubing.  
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 4  wherein in the step of providing the intake member, the intake member is a flexible tubing and in the step of providing the exhaust member, the exhaust member is a flexible tubing.