Removing metal contaminants from drilling mud
Systems and methods for monitoring and removing metal contaminants from drilling mud are described. This approach can use a system with a ditch magnet, a sensor, and a computer system in electronic communication with the sensor. The sensor is coupled to the ditch magnet and sensor operable to measure at least one characteristic of the ditch magnet associated with an amount of metal material attached to the ditch magnet. The computer system has at least one processor and a memory storing instructions that when executed by the at least one processor causes performance of operations including: determining an amount of metal material attached to the ditch magnet based on the at least one characteristic of the ditch magnet; and triggering an alert when the amount of metal material attached to the ditch magnet exceeds a threshold value.
1 . A system for monitoring and removing metal contaminants from drilling mud, the system comprising:
a ditch magnet;
a sensor coupled to the ditch magnet, the sensor operable to measure at least one characteristic of the ditch magnet associated with an amount of metal material attached to the ditch magnet;
a computer system in electronic communication with the sensor comprising at least one processor and a memory storing instructions that when executed by the at least one processor causes performance of operations comprising:
determining an amount of metal material attached to the ditch magnet based on the at least one characteristic of the ditch magnet; and
triggering an alert when the amount of metal material attached to the ditch magnet exceeds a threshold value;
wherein the ditch magnet comprises plates on opposite ends of a central body and the sensor comprises an electrical circuit measuring electrical resistance between the plates.
2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise tracking a rate of change in the amount of metal material attached to the ditch magnet.
3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the operations further comprise providing input to drilling operations.
4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the ditch magnet is one of a plurality of ditch magnets.
5 . The system of claim 4 , wherein the sensor is one of a plurality of sensors.
6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein each ditch magnet of the plurality of ditch magnets is associated with at least one of the plurality of sensors.
7 . A system for monitoring and removing metal contaminants from drilling mud, the system comprising:
a ditch magnet;
a sensor coupled to the ditch magnet, the sensor operable to measure at least one characteristic of the ditch magnet associated with an amount of metal material attached to the ditch magnet;
a computer system in electronic communication with the sensor comprising at least one processor and a memory storing instructions that when executed by the at least one processor causes performance of operations comprising:
determining an amount of metal material attached to the ditch magnet based on the at least one characteristic of the ditch magnet; and
triggering an alert when the amount of metal material attached to the ditch magnet exceeds a threshold value;
wherein the sensor comprises a load cell; and
wherein the ditch magnet is suspended from the load cell.
8 . A method for monitoring and removing metal contaminants from drilling mud, the method comprising:
disposing a ditch magnet and a sensor in drilling mud, wherein the sensor is operable to measure at least one characteristic of the ditch magnet associated with an amount of metal material attached to the ditch magnet;
using a computer system in electronic communication with the sensor, determining an amount of metal material attached to the ditch magnet based on the at least one characteristic of the ditch magnet; and
using the computer system, triggering an alert when the amount of metal material attached to the ditch magnet exceeds a threshold value;
wherein the ditch magnet comprises plates on opposite ends of a central body and the sensor comprises an electrical circuit measuring electrical resistance between the plates.
9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the operations further comprise tracking a rate of change in the amount of metal material attached to the ditch magnet.
10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the operations further comprise providing input to drilling operations.
11 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the ditch magnet is one of a plurality of ditch magnets.
12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the sensor is one of a plurality of sensors.
13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein each ditch magnet of the plurality of ditch magnets is associated with at least one of the plurality of sensors.
14 . A method for monitoring and removing metal contaminants from drilling mud, the method comprising:
disposing a ditch magnet and a sensor in drilling mud, wherein the sensor is operable to measure at least one characteristic of the ditch magnet associated with an amount of metal material attached to the ditch magnet;
using a computer system in electronic communication with the sensor, determining an amount of metal material attached to the ditch magnet based on the at least one characteristic of the ditch magnet; and
using the computer system, triggering an alert when the amount of metal material attached to the ditch magnet exceeds a threshold value;
wherein the sensor comprises a load cell; and
wherein the ditch magnet is suspended from the load cell.