System and method for delivering proppant to a blender

• US 9,676,554 B2
• Filed: 09/09/2016
• Issued: 06/13/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SandBox Enterprises LLC (U.S. Silica Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Oren Technologies LLC (U.S. Silica Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Oren, Joshua, Glynn, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): HESS, DOUGLAS A
• Application Number:
  US15/260,371
• Publication Number:
  US 20160376104A1
• Time in Patent Office: 277 Days
• Field of Search: 41422201, 414287, 414334, 414406, 414522, 414523, 414813, 198538, 198539, 198540, 198543, 198544, 2221851, 222371
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 11/126 for bulk
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 15/22 comprising a series of co-operating units
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 15/24 in tandem
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 41/002 Pivotably mounted
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 43/08 Control devices operated by article or material being fed, conveyed or discharged and controlling the discharging devices B65G47/42
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 47/16 for feeding materials in bulk
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 47/19 having means for controlling material flow, e.g. to prevent overloading
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 47/44 Arrangements or applications of hoppers or chutes
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 65/42 using belt or chain conveyors
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 21/02 Swivel joints in hose-lines

Abstract

A system for conveying proppant includes a conveyor assembly having a conveyor belt that receives proppant from one or more containers having proppant stored therein. The system also includes a conveyor auxiliary unit connected to an end of the conveyor assembly having one or more joints to enable expansion and collapse of the conveyor belt from the conveyor assembly. The system further includes a proppant chute to direct the proppant from the conveyor belt into a blending hopper, the proppant chute being positioned at a higher elevation than an inlet of the blending hopper.

Claims

1. A system for conveying proppant, the system comprising:

a conveyor assembly having a conveyor belt and a control system to measure the flow of proppant into the blending hopper, the conveyor belt receiving proppant from one or more containers having proppant stored therein distributed along the conveyor assembly and carrying the proppant away from the conveyor system;

a conveyor auxiliary unit connected to an end of the conveyor assembly having one or more joints to enable expansion and collapse of the conveyor belt from the conveyor assembly so as further to extend along the conveyor auxiliary unit; and

a proppant chute positioned at an end of the conveyor auxiliary unit, the proppant chute having an opening to direct the proppant from the conveyor belt into the blending hopper, the proppant chute being positioned at a higher elevation than an inlet of the blending hopper such that the proppant exits the proppant chute into the blending hopper via gravity feed.

2. The system of claim 1, comprising a tub positioned upstream of the inlet of the blending hopper to direct the proppant from the proppant chute into the blending hopper, wherein the tub is at a lower elevation than the proppant chute.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the tub is removable from the blending hopper to reduce the vertical height of the blending hopper to facilitate transportation of the blending hopper.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more joints enables the conveyor belt to expand to a higher elevation than the blending hopper while the conveyor assembly is positioned close to a ground plane, thereby enabling gravity feed of proppant from the conveyor belt to the blending hopper.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the conveyor belt collapses at the one or more joints to decrease a length of the conveyor belt for compact storage during transportation of the conveyor system.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more containers comprise a plurality of containers arranged in a side-by-side configuration along a length of the conveyor assembly.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein a vertical position of the proppant chute relative to a ground plane is changed as the conveyor belt is expanded or collapsed at the one or more joints.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the control system comprises one or more sensors for measuring a weight of the proppant, a speed of the conveyor belt, a rate of discharge from the one or more containers, or a combination thereof.

9. A system to convey proppant, the system comprising:

a conveyor assembly to receive and support one or more containers having proppant stored therein;

a conveyor belt positioned beneath the one or more containers to receive the proppant dispensed from the one or more containers and to transport the proppant away from the one or more containers;

a conveyor auxiliary unit positioned at an end of the conveyor system, the conveyor auxiliary unit having an inclined section that increases a vertical position of the conveyor belt relative to a ground plane;

one or more joints positioned along the conveyor assembly to enable expansion and compaction of the conveyor belt;

a proppant chute positioned at the end of the conveyor auxiliary unit, the proppant chute moveable to direct the proppant away from the conveyor belt;

a blending hopper positioned proximate the conveyor assembly to receive and mix the proppant with one or more proppant fluids for injection into a well; and

a tub positioned at an inlet of the blending hopper between the blending hopper and the proppant chute, the tub being removable from the blending hopper and positioned at a lower elevation than the proppant chute when coupled to the blending hopper.

10. The system of claim 9, comprising a control system to measure a flow rate of proppant to the blending hopper via one or more sensors.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein a conveyor belt speed, a container dispersion rate, or a combination thereof is adjusted via the control system based on an output from the one or more sensors indicative of the flow rate.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the one or more sensors is a weight sensor positioned in the tub to monitor the weight of proppant in the tub as the proppant flows to the blending hopper.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the one or more sensors is a level sensor positioned in the tub to monitor a quantity of proppant in the tub as the proppant flows to the blending hopper.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the control system adjusts one or more parameters of the conveyor system to maintain a substantially constant quantity of proppant in the tub during wellbore operations.

15. A method comprising:

dispensing proppant from a container positioned on a conveyor assembly onto a conveyor belt;

transporting the proppant, via the conveyor belt, away from the container and toward a conveyor auxiliary unit;

adjusting an elevation of the conveyor belt via a joint of a conveyor auxiliary unit coupled to the conveyor assembly, the conveyor auxiliary unit raising or lowering the elevation of the conveyor belt relative to a ground plane;

transferring the proppant to a proppant chute such that the elevation of the proppant on the conveyor belt is increased; and

directing the proppant into a blending hopper via gravity feed.

16. The method of claim 15, comprising directing the proppant into a tub positioned between the proppant chute and the blending hopper, the tub being removable from the blending hopper and having a lower elevation than the proppant on the conveyor belt.

17. The method of claim 16, comprising adjusting a flow rate of the proppant to the blending hopper via a control system based on feedback from a weight sensor positioned in the tub, the weight sensor outputting a signal to the control system indicative of a quantity of proppant flowing to the blending hopper.

18. The method of claim 15, comprising adjusting a flow rate of the proppant from the container via a control system based on feedback from one or more sensors positioned downstream of the container.

19. The method of claim 18, comprising adjusting a speed of the conveyor belt via feedback from the one or more sensors.