MODULAR SYSTEM AND MANIFOLDS FOR INTRODUCING FLUIDS INTO A WELL

• US 20180223640A1
• Filed: 06/07/2017
• Published: 08/09/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: FMC Technologies Incorporated (TechnipFMC, plc)
• Original Assignee: FMC Technologies Incorporated (TechnipFMC, plc)
• Inventors: Keihany, Julian, Massey, Corey
• Granted Patent: US 10,871,059 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/068 having provision for introducing objects or fluids into, or removing objects from, wells cementing-heads E21B33/05
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/26 by forming crevices or fractures
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/2607 Surface equipment specially adapted for fracturing operations
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 3/00 Supports for pipes, cables or protective tubing, e.g. hangers, holders, clamps, cleats, clips, brackets anchors for holding pipes on or under the ground F16L1/06; sound-damping supports F16L55/035; supports for insulated pipes F16L59/135
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 41/03 comprising junction pieces for four or more pipe members

Abstract

An illustrative modular manifold disclosed herein includes, among other things, a low-pressure manifold comprising a frac fluid outlet valve, wherein a fracturing fluid is adapted to be supplied from the low-pressure manifold via the frac fluid outlet valve to a suction side of a frac pump, and a high-pressure manifold comprising at least one frac fluid inlet valve, wherein the high-pressure manifold is adapted to receive, via the frac fluid inlet valve, a fracturing fluid discharged from the frac pump. In this example, the modular manifold also includes a support structure for mechanically supporting the low- and high-pressure manifolds and a plurality of height-adjustable support legs operatively coupled to the support structure.

Claims

1. A modular manifold, comprising:

a low-pressure manifold comprising a frac fluid outlet valve, wherein a fracturing fluid is adapted to be supplied from said low-pressure manifold via said frac fluid outlet valve to a suction side of a frac pump;

a high-pressure manifold comprising at least one frac fluid inlet valve, wherein said high-pressure manifold is adapted to receive, via said frac fluid inlet valve, a fracturing fluid discharged from said frac pump;

a support structure for mechanically supporting said low-pressure manifold and said high-pressure manifold; and

a plurality of height-adjustable support legs operatively coupled to said support structure.

2. The modular manifold of claim 1, wherein said low-pressure manifold comprises a piping loop having a ring-like configuration.

3. The modular manifold of claim 2, wherein said low-pressure manifold is positioned vertically above said high-pressure manifold.

4. The modular manifold of claim 1, wherein said low-pressure manifold comprises first and second flanges positioned on opposite ends of said low-pressure manifold, and wherein said low-pressure manifold is adapted to receive low-pressure frac fluid via either said first or said second flanges.

5. The modular manifold of claim 1, wherein said low-pressure manifold is a dedicated and independent low-pressure manifold that is adapted to supply low-pressure frac fluid only to a frac pump that is operatively coupled to said at least one frac fluid inlet valve of said high-pressure manifold that is part of said modular manifold.

6. A modular manifold, comprising:

a high-pressure manifold comprising at least one frac fluid inlet valve, wherein said high-pressure manifold is adapted to receive, via said at least one frac fluid inlet valve, a fracturing fluid discharged from at least one frac pump that is operatively coupled to said high-pressure manifold;

a dedicated and independent low-pressure manifold comprising at least one frac fluid outlet valve, wherein a low-pressure fracturing fluid is adapted to be supplied from said dedicated and independent low-pressure manifold, via said at least one frac fluid outlet valve, only to said at least one frac pump that is operatively coupled to said high-pressure manifold; and

a support structure for mechanically supporting said dedicated and independent low-pressure manifold and said high-pressure manifold.

7. The modular manifold of claim 6, further comprising a plurality of height-adjustable support legs operatively coupled to said support structure.

8. The modular manifold of claim 6, wherein said dedicated and independent low-pressure manifold comprises a piping loop having a ring-like configuration.

9. The modular manifold of claim 8, wherein said dedicated and independent low-pressure manifold is positioned vertically above said high-pressure manifold.

10. The modular manifold of claim 8, wherein said dedicated and independent low-pressure manifold comprises first and second flanges positioned on opposite ends of said dedicated and independent low-pressure manifold, and wherein said dedicated and independent low-pressure manifold is adapted to receive low-pressure frac fluid via either said first or said second flanges.

11. A system, comprising:

first, second and third modular manifolds that are laterally spaced apart from one another, wherein each of said first, second and third modular manifolds comprises;

a low-pressure manifold comprising a frac fluid outlet valve, wherein a fracturing fluid is adapted to be supplied from said low-pressure manifold via said frac fluid outlet valve to a suction side of a frac pump that is in fluid communication with said modular manifold;

a high-pressure manifold comprising at least one frac fluid inlet valve, wherein said high-pressure manifold is adapted to receive, via said frac fluid inlet valve, a fracturing fluid discharged from said frac pump that is in fluid communication with said modular manifold;

a first connecting manifold spacing spool that is operatively coupled to said first and second modular manifolds, said first connecting manifold spacing spool having a first axial length; and

a second connecting manifold spacing spool that is operatively coupled to said second and third modular manifolds, said second connecting manifold spacing spool having a second axial length that is different than said first axial length.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein each of said first, second and third modular manifolds further comprises a plurality of height-adjustable support legs operatively coupled to said support structure.

13. A method of designing a first modular manifold system and a second modular manifold system, wherein said first modular manifold system has a first overall system length and said second modular manifold system has a second overall system length that is different from said first overall system length, wherein the method comprises:

selecting a first plurality of modular manifolds to be included as part of said first modular manifold system, wherein laterally adjacent modular manifolds of said first plurality of modular manifolds are adapted to be operatively coupled to one another by one of a first plurality of manifold spacing spools for said first manifold system;

selecting a first axial length for each of said first plurality of manifold spacing spools such that said first modular manifold system has said first overall system length, wherein said first overall system length is a distance from a center of two outermost of said first plurality of modular manifolds;

selecting a second plurality of modular manifolds to be included as part of said second modular manifold system, wherein laterally adjacent modular manifolds of said second plurality of modular manifolds are adapted to be operatively coupled to one another by one of a second plurality of manifold spacing spools for said second manifold system; and

selecting a second axial length for each of said second plurality of manifold spacing spools such that said second modular manifold system has said second overall system length that is different from said first overall system length, wherein said second overall system length is a distance from a center of two outermost of said first plurality of modular manifolds, wherein said first and second plurality of modular manifolds each comprises;

a low-pressure manifold comprising a frac fluid outlet valve, wherein a fracturing fluid is adapted to be supplied from said low-pressure manifold via said frac fluid outlet valve to a suction side of a frac pump that is in fluid communication with said modular manifold;

a high-pressure manifold comprising at least one frac fluid inlet valve, wherein said high-pressure manifold is adapted to receive, via said frac fluid inlet valve, a fracturing fluid discharged from said frac pump that is in fluid communication with said modular manifold; and

a support structure for mechanically supporting said low-pressure manifold and said high-pressure manifold.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein each of said first and second plurality of modular manifolds further comprises a plurality of height-adjustable support legs operatively coupled to said support structure.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein said first overall system length is greater than said second overall system length.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein said first plurality of modular manifolds are all different from said second plurality of modular manifolds.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein said first plurality of modular manifolds are all the same as said second plurality of modular manifolds.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein said first plurality of modular manifolds comprises a greater number of modular manifolds than are present in said second plurality of modular manifolds.