Mud saver for drilling rigs

Abstract

Abstract Apparatus is disclosed for attaching to the lower end of the kelly of a drilling rig to keep the drilling mud that is in the kelly from running out, when the kelly is disconnected from a drill string for any reason, e.g., to add another joint of pipe to the string. The mud saver includes a two-piece tubular housing for connection to the lower end of the kelly, between the kelly and the upper end of a string of drill pipe. An elongated sleeve of resilient elastomeric material is located in the housing with its upstream end clamped open between the two sections of the housing so all the mud pumped through the kelly into the drill pipe will pass through the sleeve. The downstream end of the sleeve is held closed by two springs located on opposite sides of the sleeve. These springs exert only enough force on the lower end of the sleeve to hold it closed against the hydrostatic pressure of the drilling mud above the sleeve when the kelly is disconnected from the drill string to thereby keep the mud in the kelly from flowing out its lower end. When the kelly and mud saver are reconnected in the drill string, drilling mud can be pumped down the kelly, through the sleeve, and into the drill string, and the pressure of the mud is more than sufficient to force the lower end of the sleeve open to permit the mud to flow through.

Inventors

• 👤 Charles S Livingston

Bibliographic Details