Method and apparatus for hydrating a gel for use in a subterranean well

• US 7,104,328 B2
• Filed: 10/05/2005
• Issued: 09/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Original Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Inventors: Phillippi, Max L., Slabaugh, Billy
• Primary Examiner(s): SUCHFIELD, GEORGE A
• Application Number:
  US11/243,812
• Publication Number:
  US 20060028914A1
• Time in Patent Office: 342 Days
• Field of Search: 166/90.1, 166/177.5, 166/305.1, 166/308.1, 166/308.2, 166/308.5, 366/164.1, 507/904
• US Class Current: 166/308.5
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/53 using driven stirrers
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/54 wetting solids
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/64 of the centrifugal-pump type, i.e. turbo-mixers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 507/904 Process of making fluids or additives therefor

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and system for hydrating a gel for treating a wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation. The method includes directing a base fluid through an inlet into a mixer having an inner chamber housing a plurality of impellors extending radially from and rotating about a hub, causing a centrifugal motion of the base fluid, feeding a quantity of gel into the mixer, mixing the gel with the base fluid and discharging the now-hydrated gel from the inner chamber through an outlet of the mixer. A prewetting device may also be used. Thereafter, a variety of additives may be added to the gel fluid mix to form a fluid treatment to be introduced into a subterranean formation.

Claims

1. A method of substantially hydrating a gel particulate for treating a subterranean well, the method comprising the steps of:

directing a base fluid into an inner chamber of a mixer, the mixer having an impeller therein, the impeller having a plurality of impeller blades radially extending from a hub, wherein the base fluid is directed into the mixer from more than one source;

rotating the impeller blades about the hub thereby creating a centrifugal flow in the base fluid;

feeding a quantity of gel particulate into the mixer;

mixing the gel particulate with the base fluid thereby creating a substantially hydrated gel; and

discharging the substantially hydrated gel from the mixer.

2. A method as in claim 1 further comprising the step of feeding a quantity of gel particulate into the mixer, the gel particulate fed axially into the mixer.

3. A method as in claim 1 further comprising the step of positioning the mixer such that the impeller is substantially horizontal, the blades of the impeller rotating about a substantially vertical axis.

4. A method as in claim 3 further comprising the step of using gravity for drawing the gel particulate into the mixer.

5. A method as in claim 1 further comprising metering the feeding of the gel particulate into the mixer.

6. A method as in claim 1 further comprising prewetting the gel particulate.

7. A method as in claim 1 further comprising admixing at least one gel treatment agent into the base fluid.

8. A method as in claim 1 further comprising admixing at least one gel treatment agent into the substantially hydrated gel.

9. A method as in claim 1 further comprising directing the substantially hydrated gel into a holding tank.

10. A method as in claim 1 wherein the base fluid is water based.

11. A method as in claim 1 further comprising the step of treating a well using the substantially hydrated gel.

12. A method as in claim 1 further comprising the step of fracturing a well using the substantially hydrated gel.

13. A method as in claim 1 wherein the base fluid is directed into the mixer tangentially.

14. A method as in claim 1 wherein the gel particulate is coated.

15. A method as in claim 1 wherein the gel particulate is coated with a hydration delaying coating.

16. A method as in claim 1 further comprising adding a suspension agent to the mix of the gel particlate with the base fluid.

17. A method as in claim 7 wherein the treatment agent comprises a cross-linker.

18. A method as in claim 7 wherein the treatment agent comprises a breaker.

19. A method as in claim 1 wherein the mixer is a centrifugal pump.

20. A method of substantially hydrating a gel particulate for treating a subterranean well, the method comprising the steps of:

directing a base fluid into an inner chamber of a mixer, the mixer having an impeller therein, the impeller having a plurality of impeller blades radially extending for a hub;

rotating the impeller blades about the hub thereby creating a centrifugal flow in the base fluid;

feeding a quantity of gel particulate into the mixer;

mixing the gel particulate with the base fluid thereby creating a substantially hydrated gel; and

discharging the substantially hydrated gel from the mixer;

wherein the base fluid is directed into the mixer through an inlet that is at least partially inside of an outlet for discharging the substantially hydrated gel from the mixer.