Electric or natural gas fired small footprint fracturing fluid blending and pumping equipment
DCFirst Claim
1. An integrated material blending and storage system comprising:
- a storage unit;
a blender located under the storage unit;
wherein the blender is operable to receive a first input from the storage unit through a hopper;
a liquid additive storage module having a first pump to maintain constant pressure at an outlet of the liquid additive storage module;
wherein the blender is operable to receive a second input from the liquid additive storage module; and
a pre-gel blender, wherein the pre-gel blender comprises at least a pre-gel storage unit resting on a leg, further wherein the pre-gel storage unit comprises a central core and an annular space, wherein the annular space hydrates the contents of the pre-gel blender;
wherein the blender is operable to receive a third input from the pre-gel blender;
wherein gravity directs the contents of the storage unit, the liquid additive storage module and the pre-gel blender to the blender;
a second pump; and
a third pump;
wherein the second pump directs the contents of the blender to the third pump; and
wherein the third pump directs the contents of the blender down hole;
wherein at least one of the second pump and the third pump is powered by one of natural gas and electricity.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and systems for integral storage and blending of the materials used in oilfield operations are disclosed. A modular integrated material blending and storage system includes a first module comprising a storage unit, a second module comprising a liquid additive storage unit and a pump for maintaining pressure at an outlet of the liquid additive storage unit. The system further includes a third module comprising a pre-gel blender. An output of each of the first module, the second module and the third module is located above a blender and gravity directs the contents of the first module, the second module and the third module to the blender. The system also includes a pump that directs the output of the blender to a desired down hole location. The pump may be powered by natural gas or electricity.
128 Citations
111 Claims
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1. An integrated material blending and storage system comprising:
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a storage unit; a blender located under the storage unit; wherein the blender is operable to receive a first input from the storage unit through a hopper; a liquid additive storage module having a first pump to maintain constant pressure at an outlet of the liquid additive storage module; wherein the blender is operable to receive a second input from the liquid additive storage module; and a pre-gel blender, wherein the pre-gel blender comprises at least a pre-gel storage unit resting on a leg, further wherein the pre-gel storage unit comprises a central core and an annular space, wherein the annular space hydrates the contents of the pre-gel blender; wherein the blender is operable to receive a third input from the pre-gel blender; wherein gravity directs the contents of the storage unit, the liquid additive storage module and the pre-gel blender to the blender; a second pump; and a third pump; wherein the second pump directs the contents of the blender to the third pump; and wherein the third pump directs the contents of the blender down hole; wherein at least one of the second pump and the third pump is powered by one of natural gas and electricity. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A modular integrated material blending and storage system comprising:
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a first module comprising a storage unit; a second module comprising a liquid additive storage unit and a first pump for maintaining pressure at an outlet of the liquid additive storage unit; and a third module comprising a pre-gel blender, wherein the pre-gel blender comprises at least a pre-gel storage unit resting on a leg, further wherein the pre-gel storage unit comprises a central core and an annular space, wherein the annular space hydrates the contents of the pre-gel blender; wherein an output of each of the first module, the second module and the third module is located above a blender; and wherein gravity directs the contents of the first module through a hopper, the second module and the third module to the blender; a second pump; wherein the second pump directs the output of the blender to a desired down hole location; and wherein the second pump is powered by one of natural gas and electricity. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method of preparing a fluid for use in a subterranean operation, the method comprising:
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a) preparing a mixture comprising a gel powder and water using a mixer; b) transferring the mixture to a pre-gel storage unit c) allowing the gel powder to at least partially hydrate in the pre-gel storage unit to form a hydrated mixture; d) transferring the hydrated mixture to a blender; e) blending the hydrated mixture with at least one component in the blender to prepare the fluid; f) using a transfer pump to transfer the fluid to a down hole pump; and g) using the down hole pump to pump the fluid into a down hole location, wherein either natural gas or electricity, or both, is used to power the transfer pump, the down hole pump, or a combination thereof. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55)
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56. A method of preparing a fluid for use in a subterranean operation, the method comprising:
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a) transferring at least one component of the fluid to a blender; b) blending the at least one component in the blender to prepare the fluid; c) using a transfer pump to transfer the fluid to a down hole pump; and d) using the down hole pump to pump the fluid into a down hole location, wherein natural gas obtained from a field on which the subterranean operation is being performed is used to power the transfer pump, the down hole pump, or a combination thereof. - View Dependent Claims (57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83)
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84. A method of preparing a fluid for use in a subterranean operation, the method comprising:
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a) placing a liquid additive storage module and a blender at a job site such that at least one output of the liquid additive storage module is located at an elevation higher than at least one input of the blender; b) transferring a liquid additive from the liquid additive storage module to the blender, wherein gravity at least partially directs the liquid additive from the liquid additive storage module to the blender; c) blending the liquid additive with at least one component in the blender to prepare the fluid; d) using a transfer pump to transfer the fluid to a down hole pump; and e) using the down hole pump to pump the fluid into a down hole location, wherein either natural gas or electricity, or both, is used to power the transfer pump, the down hole pump, or a combination thereof. - View Dependent Claims (85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111)
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Specification