HYDRATION SYSTEM AND METHOD THEREOF

• US 20140364344A1
• Filed: 06/06/2013
• Published: 12/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Baker Hughes Holdings LLC (Baker Hughes Company)
• Original Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated (Baker Hughes Company)
• Inventors: Wheeler, Richard, Weinstein, Jeremy Lynn, Lambert, Bryan Scott
• Granted Patent: US 9,447,313 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 507/219
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/59 Mixing systems, i.e. flow charts or diagrams
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/4231 using baffles
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/50 Circulation mixers, e.g. wherein at least part of the mixture is discharged from and reintroduced into a receptacle
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/68 containing organic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/685 containing cross-linking agents
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/885 obtained otherwise than by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 8/90 of natural origin, e.g. polysaccharides, cellulose

Abstract

A hydration system configured to selectively enable a continuous process or a batch process of an additive for a hydraulic fracturing fluid, the hydration system including a hydration tank having a plurality of compartments, wherein the hydration tank is configured to enable movement of a material through the plurality of compartments in the continuous process. The hydration tank is configured to substantially restrict movement of the material between the plurality of compartments in the batch process. Also included is a method of selectively hydrating an additive in a batch process or a continuous process using a hydration system configured to enable both the batch process and the continuous process,

Claims

1. A hydration system configured to selectively enable a continuous process or a batch process of an additive for a hydraulic fracturing fluid, the hydration system comprising:

a hydration tank having a plurality of compartments, wherein the hydration tank is configured to enable movement of a material through the plurality of compartments in the continuous process, and the hydration tank is configured to substantially restrict movement of the material between the plurality of compartments in the batch process.

2. The hydration system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of compartments includes a first compartment configured to receive the material and a last compartment configured to release the material, wherein at least one of the plurality of compartments is additionally configured to both receive and release the material in the batch process.

3. The hydration system of claim 2 wherein the plurality of compartments further comprises at least one intermediate compartment configured to receive the material from the first compartment and direct it towards the last compartment in the continuous process.

4. The hydration system of claim 3 wherein the at least one intermediate compartment includes a second compartment configured to receive the material from the first compartment, and a third compartment configured to receive the material from the second compartment.

5. The hydration system of claim 3 further comprising a weir separating the first compartment from the at least one intermediate compartment, wherein movement of the material from the first compartment to the at least one intermediate compartment is prevented until a height of the material in the first compartment exceeds a height of the weir.

6. The hydration system of claim 5 further comprising a wall separating the first compartment and the last compartment, wherein the wall is configured to prevent movement of material between the first compartment and the last compartment.

7. The hydration system of claim 2 further comprising a wall separating the first compartment and the last compartment, wherein the wall is configured to prevent movement of material between the first compartment and the last compartment.

8. The hydration system of claim 1 further comprising a diluent line bypassing the hydration tank, and a gravity-driven viscous fluid line exiting the hydration tank, wherein the hydration system is configured to dilute viscous fluid from the hydration tank.

9. The hydration system of claim 1 further comprising a mixer configured to selectively direct material to a first compartment in the plurality of compartments via a first actuated valve in the continuous process, and to selectively direct material to the first compartment and a last compartment in the plurality of compartments via second and third actuated valves, respectively, in the batch process.

10. The hydration system of claim 9, further comprising a pump configured between the first actuated valve and the first compartment, wherein the hydration tank is configured to receive pumped material from the pump in the continuous process.

11. The hydration system of claim 9, further comprising a first flow meter configured to add the material to the first compartment in a ratio according to flow through the first flow meter, and a second flow meter configured to selectively add the material to the first and last compartments in a ratio according to flow through the second flow meter.

12. The hydration system of claim 9, wherein the mixer is configured to receive a synthetically produced polymer in the batch process and a natural polymer in the continuous process.

13. The hydration system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of compartments includes a first compartment configured to receive the material, and a last compartment configured to release the material, the last compartment including a first exit configured to direct materials from the last compartment to a blender and a second exit configured to direct materials from the last compartment to an additive pump.

14. The hydration system of claim 1 further comprising an input header configured to selectively direct fluid from frac tanks to at least one of an output header to a blender, a first pump arranged to pump the material to the first compartment, and a second pump arranged to pump fluid to a mixer.

15. The hydration system of claim 1 further comprising a first control valve controlling entry of the material into a first compartment of the hydration tank and a second control valve controlling release of the material from a last compartment of the hydration tank.

16. A method of selectively hydrating an additive in a batch process or a continuous process using a hydration system configured to enable both the batch process and the continuous process, the method comprising:

when the additive is a first additive, delivering the first additive to a first compartment in the hydration tank and continuously hydrating the first additive through a plurality of compartments in the hydration tank in the continuous process prior to releasing the first additive via a last compartment in the hydration tank; and

,

when the additive is a second additive different from the first additive, delivering the second additive to at least one of the first compartment and the last compartment, hydrating the second additive within the hydration tank in the batch process while restricting movement of the second additive between the plurality of compartments in the hydration tank, and releasing the second additive via the at least one of the first and last compartments.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein releasing the first additive via a last compartment in the hydration tank includes directing the first additive to an input header to a blender, and releasing the second additive via the at least one of the first and last compartments includes directing the second additive to an additive pump.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising selecting a natural polymer as the first additive and selecting a synthetically produced polymer as the second additive.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising mixing at least one of the first additive and the second additive with fluid in a mixer prior to delivering the at least one of the first additive and second additive to the hydration tank.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising pumping the first additive into the first compartment when the first additive is to be hydrated in the continuous process.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein, when the first additive is to be hydrated, allowing the first additive to flow over and around weirs between the plurality of compartments, and when the second additive is to be hydrated, retaining the second additive in the at least one of the first and last compartments until hydrated.

22. The method of claim 16 further comprising selectively opening a first actuated valve and pumping the first additive to the first compartment when the first additive is to be hydrated, and selectively opening at least one of a second actuated valve to selectively deliver the second additive to the first compartment and a third actuated valve to selectively deliver the second additive to the last compartment when the second additive is to be hydrated.

23. The method of claim 16, further comprising diluting the hydrated first additive using a diluent stream that bypasses the hydration tank, wherein releasing the first additive from the hydration tank includes flowing the first additive within a gravity-driven pumpless viscous fluid line.