Mobile zipper unit

• US 10,459,461 B2
• Filed: 10/28/2016
• Issued: 10/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2015
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Commando Pressure Control LLC
• Original Assignee: Commando Pressure Control LLC
• Inventors: Boyd, Joseph Mark, Thibodeaux, Richard Allen
• Primary Examiner(s): Sanchez-Medina, Reinaldo
• Application Number:
  US15/336,810
• Publication Number:
  US 20170123437A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,096 Days
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/2607 Surface equipment specially adapted for fracturing operations
• CPC Class Codes: F17D 5/00 Protection or supervision of installations arrangements for protecting foundations E02D31/00; protecting pipes from damage or internal or external wear F16L57/00, against corrosion and scale F16L58/00; investigation of the fluid-tightness of structures G01M3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 7/0641 using a plurality of throttling means G05D7/067 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 7/0658 the plurality of throttling means being arranged for the control of a single flow from a plurality of converging flows G05D7/0652 takes precedence; ratio control G05D11/13

Abstract

An apparatus to distribute pressurized fluid from one or more sources to multiple wellbores. The apparatus includes a manifold having at least two inlets and at least two outlets. Pressurized fluid is brought into the manifold from opposing directions so that the fluid from one inlet will impinge upon the fluid from the other inlet thereby deenergizing the fluid. Additionally, the manifold is configured such that the cross-sectional area of the inlets is less than the cross-sectional area of the manifold thereby decreasing velocity minimizing the kinetic energy available to erode or otherwise damage equipment, while providing a pressure decrease as the fluid enters the manifold. The outlets are configured such that the cross-sectional area of the outlets providing fluid to a single wellbore is greater than or equal to the cross-sectional area of the inlets such that no pressure increase occurs within the manifold or the outlets as the fluid exits the manifold. Additional velocity reduction enhancements may include angled or camp third turns between the inlet and the manifold or the manifold and an outlet.

Claims

1. A zipper manifold comprising:

a mixing block having a buffer chamber, a chamber cross-sectional area a first inlet, a second inlet, a first outlet, and a second outlet, the first inlet being positioned on a proximal end of the mixing block, the second inlet being positioned on a distal end of the mixing block, the buffer chamber being positioned between the first inlet and the second inlet the first outlet and the second outlet being positioned on a first sidewall of the buffer chamber between the first inlet and the second inlet, the first inlet and the second inlet being open inlets, the mixing bock being positioned between the wellhead and the frac missile;

wherein the first inlet has a first cross-sectional area and a second inlet has a second cross-sectional area, the first inlet and the second inlet being fluidly coupled to the frac missile;

wherein a first cumulative cross-sectional area being a summation of the first cross-sectional area and the second cross-sectional area is less than the chamber cross-sectional area;

wherein the first outlet has a third cross-sectional area and the second outlet has a fourth cross-sectional area, the first outlet and the second outlet being fluidly coupled to the wellhead;

wherein a second cumulative cross-sectional area being a summation of the third cross-sectional area and the fourth cross-sectional area is greater than the first cumulative cross-sectional area;

a first fluid stream entering the buffer chamber through the first inlet, a second fluid stream entering the buffer chamber through the second inlet;

wherein the first and second fluid streams have a laminar flow upon entering the buffer chamber, wherein the first outlet and the second outlet are fluidly connected to at least one wellbore;

a second sidewall extending from the first inlet to the second inlet, the first sidewall and the second sidewall being positioned one hundred eighty degrees apart from each other, wherein the second sidewall is a continuous sidewall with no inlet between the first inlet and the second inlet.

2. The zipper manifold of claim 1, wherein the first outlet and the at least second outlet have at least one removable barrier.

3. The zipper manifold of claim 2, wherein the removable barrier is a valve.

4. The zipper manifold of claim 2, wherein the removable barrier is remotely actuated.

5. The zipper manifold of claim 1,

wherein none of the plurality of outlets are positioned on the second sidewall.

6. The zipper manifold of claim 5, wherein the mixing block is a single unitary element.

7. The zipper manifold of claim 1, wherein the first inlet is fluidly connected to a first flow adapter, and the second inlet is fluidly connected to a second flow adapter.

8. The zipper manifold of claim 7, wherein a first connection between the first fluid inlet and the first flow adapter has a fifth cross-sectional area, a second connection between the second inlet and the second flow adapter has a sixth cross-sectional area.

9. The zipper manifold of claim 8, wherein a third cumulative cross-sectional area of the fifth cross-sectional area and the sixth cross-sectional area is less than or equal to the first cumulative cross-sectional area.

10. The zipper manifold of claim 9, wherein the third cumulative cross-sectional area is less than or equal to the second cumulative cross-sectional.

11. The zipper manifold of claim 1, wherein the first fluid stream or the second fluid stream enters the buffer chamber through a flow adapter.

12. The zipper manifold of claim 1, wherein the first outlet and the at least second outlet are chamfered between the junction of the buffer chamber and the first outlet and the second outlet.

13. A zipper manifold assembly comprising:

a buffer chamber assembly formed of a first mixing block and a second mixing block, the buffer chamber assembly has a first inlet and a second inlet, the first inlet being positioned on a proximal end of the first mixing block, the second inlet being positioned on a distal end of the second mixing block, the buffer chamber assembly being positioned between the first inlet and the second inlet, wherein a distal end of the first mixing block is directly coupled to a proximal end of the second mixing block, the buffer chamber assembly including a first sidewall extending from the first inlet to the second inlet, and a second sidewall extending from the first inlet to the second inlet, the first sidewall and the second sidewall being positioned one hundred eighty degrees apart from each other;

a first fluid stream and a second fluid stream have a laminar flow upon entering the buffer chamber assembly;

a first outlet and a second outlet positioned on the first mixing block, the first outlet and the at least the second outlet being positioned on the first sidewall;

a third outlet and a fourth outlet positioned on the second mixing block, the third outlet and the fourth outlet being positioned on the first sidewall, wherein the second sidewall is a continuous sidewall with no inlets between the first inlet and the second inlet.

14. The zipper manifold assembly of claim 13, wherein the first outlet and the at least the second outlet of the buffer chamber assembly provides access to a first wellbore and at least a second wellbore.

15. The zipper manifold assembly of claim 13, wherein the first fluid stream enters the first inlet through a first flow adapter and the second fluid stream enters the second inlet through a second flow adapter.

16. The zipper manifold assembly of claim 13, wherein the first outlet and the at least second outlet have at least one removable barrier.

17. The zipper manifold assembly of claim 16, wherein the removable barrier is a valve.

18. The zipper manifold assembly of claim 16, wherein the removable barrier is remotely actuated.

19. The zipper manifold of claim 13, wherein the buffer chamber assembly is mounted on a single skid, modular skids or a trailer.