Degasser

Claim 3

The method of claim 1 further including the step of rotating a fan means coextensively with rotation of the auger to evacuate the upper end of the housing of gas.

Claim 4

The method of claim 2 including the step of drawing gas upwardly through the housing to evacuation by the fan means, and also drawing gas through the chamber means after mud flows from the housing into the chamber means; and removing mud from the chamber means by filling above a level at which mud flows out of the chamber means at an outlet formed in the chamber means for mud withdrawal.

Claim 5

The method of claim 1 wherein the pitch of the auger is varied to a smaller pitch near the upper end thereof and further wherein the auger is operated to centrifugally and through gravity force the mud lifted in said housing relatively outwardly towards the upper opening in the housing.

Claim 6

The method of claim 1, 2 or 4 further including the step of surrounding the upper end of the housing by an encircling and enclosing structure defining an annular space about the housing and on the interior of the barrier, and including the step of continuously evacuating this annular space through positive air flow for removal of gas while forcing degassed mud to flow beneath the barrier.

Claim 7

The method of claim 1, 2 or 4 further including the step of inclining the flights of the auger at an angle to slope downwardly outwardly with respect to a support shaft for rotating the auger and further including the step of operating the auger at an upright position such that drilling mud supported on the flights of the auger tends to flow away from a central shaft supporting the flights of said auger and the flights are sufficiently close to the housing that mud is lifted in contact with the housing and above the flights.

Claim 8

Apparatus for removing gas from drilling mud which apparatus comprises: (a) an upstanding cylindrical housing having a wall and having openings at the bottom thereof wherein drilling mud having gas therein is permitted to flow into said housing and also having an opening in the wall to enable mud to flow out of said housing; (b) a multi-turn auger having a central support shaft extending along said cylindrical housing between the inlet and outlet openings thereof which auger is positioned for rotating within said housing; (c) flights on said auger which have a variable pitch from turn to turn thereof wherein the flights of the auger are spaced further apart near the lower end thereof in comparison with the upper end thereof; (d) means for joining the flights of the auger to the central support shaft inclining the flights radially outwardly downwardly such that the flights of said auger, on rotation about said shaft, causes mud to flow from said inlet opening to said outlet opening and to simultaneously lift the mud while centrifugally forcing the mud toward said cylindrical housing and away from said central shaft supporting said auger wherein the operation of said auger centrifugally separates dissolved gas in the drilling mud; (e) U-tube means connected to receive mud flow from said outlet openings of said housing to flow the mud toward a U-tube means outlet means and beneath a barrier isolating gas flow from said outlet means; and (f) gas evacuation means drawing gas from said housing at the upper end thereof and from said U-tube means for evacuation of gas liberated from the mud.

Claim 9

Apparatus for removing gas from drilling mud which apparatus comprises: (a) an upstanding cylindrical housing having a wall and having openings at the bottom thereof wherein drilling mud having gas therein is permitted to flow into said housing and also having an opening in the wall to enable mud to flow out of said housing; (b) a multi-turn auger having a central support shaft extending along said cylindrical housing between the inlet and outlet openings thereof which auger is positioned for rotating within said housing; (c) flights on said auger which have a variable pitch from turn to turn thereof wherein the flights of the auger are spaced further apart near the lower end thereof in comparison with the upper end thereof; (d) means for joining the flights of the auger to the central support shaft inclining the flights radially outwardly downwardly such that the flights of said auger, on rotation about said shaft, causes mud to flow from said inlet opening to said outlet opening and to simultaneously lift the mud while centrifugally forcing the mud toward said cylindrical housing and away from said central shaft supporting said auger wherein the operation of said auger centrifugally separates dissolved gas in the drilling mud; (e) U-tube means connected to receive mud flow from said outlet openings of said housing to flow the mud toward a U-tube means outlet means and beneath a barrier isolating gas flow from said outlet means; and (f) gas evacuation means drawing gas from said housing at the upper end thereof and from said U-tube means for evacuation of gas liberated from the mud.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 7 further including a downwardly opening annularly spaced encircling closure means for accumulating and directing upwardly in a confined pathway gas which escapes from the drilling mud as it flows through said outlet means; and fan means for continuously evacuating gas in the upper portions of the said cylindrical housing.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 8 further including passage means communicating said annular space with said fan means, and further including an outlet passage means extending from said fan means for removal of gas.

Claim 12

The apparatus of claim 7, 8 or 9 further including an encircling annular chamber means comprising said U-tube means for collecting drilling mud and further wherein said chamber means includes a bottom closure member which accumulates drilling mud thereon to raise the level of drilling mud therein to a level to flow away therefrom through an outlet means.