Continuous gravity feed system for feeding additives to a drilling mud system

Abstract

An apparatus and a method is provided for feeding drilling fluid additives into drilling mud. The apparatus may have an additive containment device with a top and a bottom. The bottom of the additive containment device may be connected to an outlet. The other end of the outlet may be connected to a valve. A flow nozzle may be connected to the valve so that the flow rate of the additive from the flow nozzle into the drilling mud is substantially constant.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . An apparatus comprising:
 an additive containment device having a top and a bottom;   an outlet having a proximate end and a distal end wherein the proximate end is connected to the bottom of the additive containment device;   a valve connected to the distal end of the outlet; and   a flow nozzle connected to the valve wherein the flow rate of the additive from the flow nozzle is substantially constant.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a screening member disposed intermediate the top and the bottom. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising at least three legs attached to the bottom of the additive containment device. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the top of the additive containment device is removable. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the additive containment device comprises a flanged top portion and a flanged bottom portion. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 3  wherein the legs are removable. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the top of the additive containment device is hingedly connected to the additive containment device. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 5  wherein the screening member is disposed within the additive containment device intermediate the flanged top portion and the flanged bottom portion and further wherein the screening member is removable. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 5  wherein the flanged bottom portion of the additive containment device is frustoconical. 
     
     
         10 . An apparatus comprising:
 an additive containment device having a top, a bottom, a top flanged portion and a bottom flanged portion wherein the top portion is removable;   a screening member intermediate the top flanged portion and the bottom flanged portion of the additive containment device wherein the screening member is removable;   an outlet having a proximate end and a distal end wherein the proximate end is connected to the bottom of the additive containment device;   a valve connected to the distal end of the outlet; and   a flow nozzle connected to the valve wherein the flow nozzle is interchangeable.   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10  further comprising at least three legs connected to the bottom flanged portion of the additive containment device wherein the legs are removable. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 10  wherein the top of the additive containment device is hingedly connected to the additive containment device wherein the top has an open position and a closed position. 
     
     
         13 . A method for continuous gravity feed of additives into drilling mud during a drilling operation, the method comprising:
 selecting a drill fluid additive;   feeding the drill fluid additive into drilling mud, wherein the drill fluid additive is fed at a substantially constant flow rate and further wherein the drill fluid additive is fed by gravity;   mixing the drill fluid additive into the drilling mud;   pumping the mixture of the drill fluid additive and the drilling mud into the wellbore.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising assembling an additive feed system after commencing the drilling operation.