Increasing hydration time of high concentration gels
First Claim
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1. A continuous batch gel hydration apparatus, comprising:
- at least one holding hydration tank and at least one work hydration tank, each having an interior volume, wherein said interior volumes are isolated from one another;
a gel supply system fluidly connected to said hydration tanks by a conduit system;
a plurality of fluid valves interposed said conduit system; and
a controller operatively connected to said plurality of fluid valves and configured to provide commands to said plurality of fluid valves to;
fill said at least one holding hydration tank with a young gel solution from said gel supply system and discharge said at least one work hydration tank of an aged gel solution as said at least one holding hydration tank is filled with said young gel solution from said gel supply system, wherein said aged gel solution in said at least one work hydration tank has a lower viscosity differential than said young gel solution in said at least one holding hydration tank; and
allow said young gel solution in said at least one holding hydration tank to hydrate and age to increase its viscosity before discharging said at least one holding hydration tank, wherein after said at least one work hydration tank has discharged and said young gel has aged in said at least one holding hydration tank, said at least one holding hydration tank becomes said at least one work hydration tank and said at least one work hydration tank becomes said at least one holding hydration tank.
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Abstract
A system and method of increasing hydration time of a high concentration gelled fluid used in a fracturing fluid that uses multiple hydration tanks whose volumes are isolated from one another to provide a continuous batch of hydrated gel having improved hydration and viscosity.
9 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A continuous batch gel hydration apparatus, comprising:
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at least one holding hydration tank and at least one work hydration tank, each having an interior volume, wherein said interior volumes are isolated from one another; a gel supply system fluidly connected to said hydration tanks by a conduit system; a plurality of fluid valves interposed said conduit system; and a controller operatively connected to said plurality of fluid valves and configured to provide commands to said plurality of fluid valves to; fill said at least one holding hydration tank with a young gel solution from said gel supply system and discharge said at least one work hydration tank of an aged gel solution as said at least one holding hydration tank is filled with said young gel solution from said gel supply system, wherein said aged gel solution in said at least one work hydration tank has a lower viscosity differential than said young gel solution in said at least one holding hydration tank; and allow said young gel solution in said at least one holding hydration tank to hydrate and age to increase its viscosity before discharging said at least one holding hydration tank, wherein after said at least one work hydration tank has discharged and said young gel has aged in said at least one holding hydration tank, said at least one holding hydration tank becomes said at least one work hydration tank and said at least one work hydration tank becomes said at least one holding hydration tank. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A well fracing system for continuous batch gel hydration, comprising:
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at least one hydration tank having a first interior volume; at least one hydration tank having a second interior volume, wherein said second interior volume is isolated from said first interior volume; a water supply tank; a gel mixer; a gel feeder positioned to empty a gel into said gel mixer; a slurry blender system couplable to a wellhead, and including a slurry blender pump and slurry mixer fluidly couplable to said wellhead; a conduit system that fluidly connects said water supply tank and said gel mixer to said at least one holding and at least one work hydration tanks and fluidly connects said at least one holding and at least one work hydration tanks to said slurry blender system; a fluid bypass conduit system that fluidly connects said water supply tank and said gel mixer to said slurry blender system; a plurality of fluid valves interposed said conduit system to control a flow of a gel solution from said gel mixer to said at least one holding and at least one work hydration tanks; and a controller operatively connected to said plurality of fluid valves and configured to provide commands to said plurality of fluid valves to; fill said at least one holding hydration tank with a young gel solution from said gel mixer and discharge said at least one work hydration tank of an aged gel solution as said at least one holding hydration tank is filled with said young gel solution from said gel mixer, wherein said aged gel solution in said at least one work hydration tank has a lower viscosity differential than said young gel in said at least one holding hydration tank; and allow said young gel solution in said at least one holding hydration tank to hydrate and age to increase its viscosity before discharging said at least one holding hydration tank, wherein after said at least one work hydration tank has discharged and said young gel has aged in said at least one holding hydration tank, said at least one holding hydration tank becomes said at least one work hydration tank and said at least one work hydration tank becomes said at least one holding hydration tank. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of preparing a hydrated fracing gel in a continuous batch process, comprising:
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mixing water with a gel in a gel mixer to produce a gel solution; filling at least one holding hydration tank with a young gel solution and discharging at least one work hydration tank of an aged gel solution as said at least one holding hydration tank is filled with said young gel solution, wherein said aged gel solution in said at least one work hydration tank has a lower viscosity differential than said young gel in said at least one holding hydration tank; and allowing said young gel solution in said at least one holding hydration tank to hydrate and age to increase its viscosity before discharging said at least one holding hydration tank, wherein after said at least one work hydration tank has discharged and said young gel has aged in said at least one holding hydration tank, said at least one holding hydration tank becomes said at least one work hydration tank and said at least one work hydration tank becomes said at least one holding hydration tank. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification