Fuel delivery system and method

• US 10,029,906 B2
• Filed: 05/02/2016
• Issued: 07/24/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Energera Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Frac Shack Inc.
• Inventors: Van Vliet, J. Todd, Van Vliet, Scott M., Brotzel, Glen M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Niesz, Jason K
• Application Number:
  US15/144,547
• Publication Number:
  US 20160244314A1
• Time in Patent Office: 813 Days
• Field of Search: 141 1, 141236, 141 99, 141198, 141206, 141237, 141242, 141243, 141244
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2007/0444 Sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/04 for transferring fuels, lubricants or mixed fuels and lubricants
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/0401 arrangements for automatically fuelling vehicles, i.e. without human intervention
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/362 combined with over-fill preventing means indicating or measuring liquid level G01F23/00; level control G05D9/00
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/70 of two or more pumps in series or parallel

Abstract

A fuel delivery system and method for reducing the likelihood that a fuel tank of equipment at a well site during fracturing of a well will run out of fuel. A fuel source has plural fuel outlets, a hose on each fuel outlet of the plural fuel outlets, each hose being connected to a fuel cap on a respective one of the fuel tanks for delivery of fuel to the fuel tank. At least a manually controlled valve at each fuel outlet controls fluid flow through the hose at the respective fuel outlet.

Claims

1. A method of reducing the likelihood of blenders and pumpers at a well site running out of fuel during fracturing of a well, the blenders and pumpers including fuel tanks, the method comprising:

transporting a fuel delivery system including a fuel source to the well site on a trailer or trailers;

pumping fuel from the fuel source through hoses in parallel to each of the fuel tanks;

controlling fluid flow through each hose independently of flow in other hoses;

displaying fuel levels to an operator; and

viewing the pumpers and blenders through a window provided in one of the trailer or trailers while fueling the pumpers and blenders.

2. A method of reducing the likelihood of blenders and pumpers at a well site running out of fuel during fracturing of a well, the blenders and pumpers including fuel tanks, the method comprising:

transporting a fuel delivery system including a fuel source to the well site on a trailer or trailers;

pumping fuel from the fuel source through hoses in parallel to each of the fuel tanks;

controlling fluid flow through each hose independently of flow in other hoses; and

logging fuel consumption while pumping fuel.

3. A method of reducing the likelihood of blenders and pumpers at a well site running out of fuel during fracturing of a well, the blenders and pumpers including fuel tanks, the method comprising:

transporting a fuel delivery system including a fuel source to the well site on a trailer or trailers;

pumping fuel from the fuel source through hoses in parallel to each of the fuel tanks;

controlling fluid flow through each hose independently of flow in other hoses; and

monitoring fluid pressure in the hoses while pumping fuel.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising using a pressure differential to determine a low fuel condition in at least one of the fuel tanks and filling the at least one fuel tank based on the pressure differential.

5. A method of reducing the likelihood of blenders and pumpers at a well site running out of fuel during fracturing of a well, the blenders and pumpers including fuel tanks, the method comprising:

transporting a fuel delivery system including a fuel source to the well site on a trailer or trailers;

pumping fuel from the fuel source through hoses in parallel to each of the fuel tanks;

controlling fluid flow through each hose independently of flow in other hoses; and

catching spills from the fuel tanks.

6. A method of reducing the likelihood of blenders and pumpers at a well site running out of fuel during fracturing of a well, the blenders and pumpers including fuel tanks, the method comprising:

transporting a fuel delivery system including a fuel source to the well site on a trailer or trailers;

pumping fuel from the fuel source through hoses in parallel to each of the fuel tanks;

controlling fluid flow through each hose independently of flow in other hoses;

preventing spills at each fuel tank by providing fuel flow to each fuel tank through a fuel cap on the fuel tank; and

in which pumping fuel from the fuel source through hoses in parallel to each of the fuel tanks comprises supplying fuel through a manifold to the hoses, the manifold mounted on a wall of one of the trailer or trailers.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising catching spills from the manifold.

8. A method of reducing the likelihood of blenders and pumpers at a well site running out of fuel during fracturing of a well, the blenders and pumpers including fuel tanks, the method comprising:

transporting a fuel delivery system including a fuel source to the well site on a trailer or trailers;

pumping fuel from the fuel source through hoses in parallel to each of the fuel tanks; and

controlling fluid flow through each hose independently of flow in other hoses;

in which pumping fuel from the fuel source through hoses in parallel to each of the fuel tanks comprises supplying fuel through plural manifolds from the fuel source or the fuel source and another fuel source, each manifold being connected to plural hoses.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising mounting the manifolds mounted on a wall of one of the trailer or trailers.

10. A method of reducing the likelihood of blenders and pumpers at a well site running out of fuel during fracturing of a well, the blenders and pumpers including fuel tanks, the method comprising:

transporting a fuel delivery system including a fuel source to the well site on a trailer or trailers;

pumping fuel from the fuel source through hoses in parallel to each of the fuel tanks;

controlling fluid flow through each hose independently of flow in other hoses; and

providing a hose with an auto nozzle fitting and supplying fuel from the fuel source through the hose to a piece of equipment other than a pumper or blender.

11. A method for fuel delivery to selected fuel tanks of pieces of equipment including pumpers and blenders at a well site during fracturing of a well, wherein the selected fuel tanks have caps on the fuel tanks, the method comprising:

transporting a fuel delivery system to a well site on one or more trailers, wherein the fuel delivery system includes hoses, each hose having a fuel delivery connection for connecting the hose to a respective fuel tank;

removing the caps from the selected fuel tanks;

attaching the hoses to the selected fuel tanks using the fuel delivery connections;

providing fuel to the selected fuel tanks through the fuel delivery connections;

displaying fuel levels to an operator;

viewing the pumpers and blenders through a window provided in one of the trailer or trailers during fuel delivery;

in which providing fuel to the selected fuel tanks through the fuel delivery connections comprises pumping fuel from a fuel source through the hoses in parallel to each of the selected fuel tanks, controlling fluid flow through each hose independently of flow in other hoses and controlling fluid flow in each hose in response to receiving signals representative of fuel levels in the selected fuel tanks; and

in which controlling fluid flow in each hose comprises the operator controlling a respective valve between the fuel source and a corresponding fuel tank of the selected fuel tanks.

12. A method for fuel delivery to selected fuel tanks of pieces of equipment at a well site during fracturing of a well, wherein the selected fuel tanks have caps on the fuel tanks, the method comprising:

transporting a fuel delivery system to a well site on one or more trailers, wherein the fuel delivery system includes hoses, each hose having a fuel delivery connection for connecting the hose to a respective fuel tank;

removing the caps from the selected fuel tanks;

attaching the hoses to the selected fuel tanks using the fuel delivery connections;

providing fuel to the selected fuel tanks through the fuel delivery connections;

monitoring fluid pressure in the hoses during fuel delivery; and

in which providing fuel to the selected fuel tanks through the fuel delivery connections comprises pumping fuel from a fuel source through the hoses in parallel to each of the selected fuel tanks, controlling fluid flow through each hose independently of flow in other hoses and controlling fluid flow in each hose in response to receiving signals representative of fuel levels in the selected fuel tanks.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising using a pressure differential to determine a low fuel condition in at least one of the selected fuel tanks and filling the at least one fuel tank based on the pressure differential.

14. A method for fuel delivery to selected fuel tanks of pieces of equipment at a well site during fracturing of a well, wherein the selected fuel tanks have caps on the fuel tanks, the method comprising:

transporting a fuel delivery system to a well site on one or more trailers, wherein the fuel delivery system includes hoses, each hose having a fuel delivery connection for connecting the hose to a respective fuel tank;

removing the caps from the selected fuel tanks;

attaching the hoses to the selected fuel tanks using the fuel delivery connections;

providing fuel to the selected fuel tanks through the fuel delivery connections; and

catching spills from the selected fuel tanks.

15. A method for fuel delivery to selected fuel tanks of pieces of equipment at a well site during fracturing of a well, wherein the selected fuel tanks have caps on the fuel tanks, the method comprising:

transporting a fuel delivery system to a well site on one or more trailers, wherein the fuel delivery system includes hoses, each hose having a fuel delivery connection for connecting the hose to a respective fuel tank;

removing the caps from the selected fuel tanks;

attaching the hoses to the selected fuel tanks using the fuel delivery connections;

providing fuel to the selected fuel tanks through the fuel delivery connections, comprising pumping fuel from a fuel source through a manifold mounted on a wall of the one or more trailers to hoses in parallel to each of the selected fuel tanks;

storing the hoses on reels; and

catching spills from the manifold.

16. A method for fuel delivery to selected fuel tanks of pieces of equipment at a well site during fracturing of a well, wherein the selected fuel tanks have caps on the fuel tanks, the method comprising:

transporting a fuel delivery system to a well site on one or more trailers, wherein the fuel delivery system includes hoses, each hose having a fuel delivery connection for connecting the hose to a respective fuel tank;

removing the caps from the selected fuel tanks;

attaching the hoses to the selected fuel tanks using the fuel delivery connections;

providing fuel to the selected fuel tanks through the fuel delivery connections;

in which providing fuel to the selected fuel tanks through the fuel delivery connections comprises pumping fuel from a fuel source through the hoses in parallel to each of the fuel tanks, controlling fluid flow through each hose independently of flow in other hoses and controlling fluid flow in each hose in response to receiving signals representative of fuel levels in the fuel tanks; and

in which pumping fuel from the fuel source through hoses in parallel to each of the fuel tanks comprises supplying fuel through plural manifolds from the fuel source or the fuel source and another fuel source, each manifold being connected to plural hoses.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising the manifolds mounted on a wall of one of the one or more trailers.

18. A method for fuel delivery to selected fuel tanks of pieces of equipment including pumpers and blenders at a well site during fracturing of a well, wherein the selected fuel tanks have caps on the fuel tanks, the method comprising:

transporting a fuel delivery system to a well site on one or more trailers, wherein the fuel delivery system includes hoses, each hose having a fuel delivery connection for connecting the hose to a respective fuel tank;

removing the caps from the selected fuel tanks;

attaching the hoses to the selected fuel tanks using the fuel delivery connections;

providing fuel to the selected fuel tanks through the fuel delivery connections; and

providing a hose with an auto nozzle fitting and supplying fuel from the fuel source through the hose to a piece of equipment other than a pumper or blender.

19. A method of reducing the likelihood of blenders and pumpers at a well site running out of fuel during fracturing of a well, the blenders and pumpers including fuel tanks, the method comprising:

transporting a fuel delivery system on a trailer or trailers to the well site, the fuel delivery system including a fuel source;

pumping fuel from the fuel source through hoses in parallel to each of the fuel tanks of the blenders and pumpers;

controlling fluid flow through each hose independently of flow in other hoses; and

controlling fluid flow in each hose in response to fuel levels in the fuel tanks of the blenders and pumpers.

20. The method of claim 19 in which each hose has a fuel delivery connection and each fuel delivery connection comprises a fuel cap and a dry connection.

21. The method of claim 20 further comprising, during filling of each fuel tank, releasing air and vapor from the fuel tank through a breather port on each fuel cap with a line extending downward from the fuel tank.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprising controlling fuel flow through the hoses in response to signals representative of fuel levels in the fuel tanks provided by respective fuel level sensors associated with each fuel cap.

23. The method of claim 20 in which each fuel cap is threaded onto a respective one of the fuel tanks.

24. The method of claim 20 in which each fuel cap is connected to a respective one of the fuel tanks by a quick connect coupling.

25. The method of claim 19 further comprising starting fluid flow to a respective fuel tank of the selected fuel tanks upon receiving a low fuel level signal related to the respective fuel tank and stopping fluid flow to the respective fuel tank upon receiving a high level signal related to the respective fuel tank.

26. The method of claim 25 in which the high level signal corresponds to tank full.

27. The method of claim 25 in which the high level signal corresponds to a level less than tank full.

28. The method of claim 19 in which controlling fluid flow in each hose further comprises an operator controlling a respective valve between the fuel source and a corresponding fuel tank of the fuel tanks.

29. The method of claim 28 further comprising displaying fuel levels to the operator.

30. The method of claim 29 further comprising viewing the pumpers and blenders while fueling the pumpers and blenders.

31. The method of claim 30 further comprising viewing the pumpers and blenders through a window provided in one of the trailer or trailers.

32. The method of claim 28 in which controlling fluid flow in each hose comprises a controller system operating a respective valve between the fuel source and a corresponding fuel tank of the fuel tanks.

33. The method of claim 19 in which controlling fluid flow in each hose comprises a controller system operating a respective valve between the fuel source and a corresponding fuel tank of the fuel tanks.

34. The method of claim 19 further comprising logging fuel consumption while pumping fuel.

35. The method of claim 19 further comprising monitoring fluid pressure in the hoses while pumping fuel.

36. The method of claim 35 further comprising using pressure differential to determine a low fuel condition in at least one of the fuel tanks and filling the at least one fuel tank based on the pressure differential.

37. The method of claim 19 further comprising the fuel source and hoses mounted together with a controller and a manifold on a single trailer.

38. The method of claim 19 in which the fuel delivery system remains at the well site throughout a fracturing job.

39. The method of claim 19 further comprising catching spills from the fuel tanks.

40. The method of claim 19 further comprising storing the hoses on reels.

41. The method of claim 40 in which the fuel tanks have caps on the fuel tanks and the caps are removed prior to pumping fuel through hoses in parallel to each of the fuel tanks and in which pumping fuel from the fuel source through hoses in parallel to each of the fuel tanks comprises supplying fuel through a manifold to the hoses.

42. The method of claim 19 in which pumping fuel from the fuel source through hoses in parallel to each of the fuel tanks comprises supplying fuel through a manifold to the hoses.

43. The method of claim 42 further comprising the manifolds mounted on a wall of one of the trailer or trailers.

44. The method of claim 43 further comprising catching spills from the manifold.

45. The method of claim 19 in which pumping fuel from the fuel source through hoses in parallel to each of the fuel tanks comprises supplying fuel through plural manifolds from the fuel source or the fuel source and another fuel source, each manifold being connected to plural hoses.

46. The method of claim 45 further comprising the manifolds mounted on a wall of one of the trailer or trailers.

47. The method of claim 19 further comprising providing a hose with an auto nozzle fitting and supplying fuel from the fuel source through the hose to a piece of equipment other than a pumper or blender.