Drilling System Including a Pressure Intensifier

Abstract

In some embodiments, a drilling system can include a top drive and one or more pressure intensifiers coupled between a mud pump and the top drive to increase fluid pressure of drilling fluid driven down into a hole. In some aspects, the one or more pressure intensifiers may be coupled to a traveling block ahead of a top drive or may be coupled to at least one of a drill floor, a mast, a crown, a setback, and an offset of a drilling rig. Further, in some aspects, the drilling system may include a mud pump coupled to a mud tank and configured to pump the drilling fluid through a low pressure conduit to the one or more pressure intensifiers.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A drilling system comprising:
 a top drive; and   one or more pressure intensifiers coupled between a mud pump and the top drive to increase fluid pressure of drilling fluid driven down into a hole.   
     
     
         2 . The drilling system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more pressure intensifiers comprise at least one of a mechanical pressure-increasing device, an electrical pressure-increasing device, a hydraulic pressure-increasing device, and a pneumatic pressure-increasing device. 
     
     
         3 . The drilling system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more pressure intensifiers comprise a mud pump. 
     
     
         4 . The drilling system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more pressure intensifiers are coupled to a traveling block ahead of a top drive. 
     
     
         5 . The drilling system of  claim 1 , wherein the a one or more pressure intensifiers are coupled to at least one of a drill floor, a mast, a crown, a setback, and an offset of a drilling rig. 
     
     
         6 . The drilling system of  claim 1 , further comprising a mud pump coupled to a mud tank and configured to pump the drilling fluid through a low pressure conduit to the one or more pressure intensifiers. 
     
     
         7 . The drilling system of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a drilling rig including:
 a mast; 
 a crown coupled to a top portion of the mast and coupled to the traveling block; 
 a drill floor coupled to a lower portion of the mast and including a hole through which the drilling pipe extends; and 
   a conduit extending from the mud pump to the one or more pressure intensifiers; and   wherein the one or more pressure intensifiers are coupled to one of the mast and the drill floor.   
     
     
         8 . The drilling system of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a drilling rig including:
 a mast; 
 a set back coupled to the mast; and 
   a conduit extending from the mud pump to the one or more pressure intensifiers; and   wherein the one or more pressure intensifiers are coupled to the set back.   
     
     
         9 . The drilling system of  claim 1 , further comprising a storage tank coupled to the one or more pressure intensifiers and configured to store a reserve of the drilling fluid to respond to certain events during drilling of the hole. 
     
     
         10 . The drilling system of  claim 9 , wherein the storage tank is coupled to a traveling block and configured to selectively increase or decrease an amount of the reserve of the drilling fluid to adjust a weight applied to the traveling block. 
     
     
         11 . A system comprising:
 one or more mud pumps configured to pump drilling fluid through one or more hoses, associated connectors, and associated fittings, the one or more hoses having a first internal diameter within a bend ratio determined by a confined space of a mast of a drilling rig; and   one or more pressure intensifiers coupled between the one or more mud pumps and a drill string to increase fluid pressure of the drilling fluid within a well bore.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the drill string has a second internal diameter that is less than the first internal diameter. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more pressure intensifiers comprise at least one of a mechanical pressure-increasing device, an electrical pressure-increasing device, a hydraulic pressure-increasing device, and a pneumatic pressure-increasing device. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more pressure intensifiers are coupled to a traveling block ahead of a top drive of a drilling rig. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the a one or more pressure intensifiers are coupled to at least one of a drill floor, a mast, a crown, a setback, and an offset of a drilling rig. 
     
     
         16 . A drilling system comprising:
 a drilling rig;   traveling equipment coupled to the drilling rig and configured to couple to a drill string extending into a well bore; and   one or more pressure intensifiers coupled between a mud pump and traveling equipment to increase fluid pressure of drilling fluid driven through the drill string.   
     
     
         17 . The drilling system of  claim 16 , wherein the drilling rig includes a frame assembly including a plurality of frames configured to couple to one another to form the drilling rig. 
     
     
         18 . The drilling system of  claim 17 , wherein the plurality of frames further include:
 a first frame configured to secure a traveling block;   a second frame configured to secure at least one of the one or more pressure intensifiers; and   a third frame configured to secure at least one of a fluid storage, a top drive, and a tubular handling and casing mechanism; and   wherein the first frame, the second frame, and the third frame form part of at least one of a base, a trunk and a mast of the drilling rig.   
     
     
         19 . The drilling system of  claim 16 , wherein the one or more pressure intensifiers comprise at least one of a mechanical pressure-increasing device, an electrical pressure-increasing device, a hydraulic pressure-increasing device, and a pneumatic pressure-increasing device. 
     
     
         20 . The drilling system of  claim 16 , wherein the one or more pressure intensifiers are coupled to a traveling block ahead of a top drive.