Method of delivering, transporting, and storing proppant for delivery and use at a well site
First Claim
1. A method of loading and transporting proppant, the method comprising:
- a) positioning a plurality of empty proppant containers, each removably positioned on a trailer of a respective proppant transporting road vehicle and structurally strengthened to receive a large volume of proppant having a substantially spherical shape therein, in close proximity to a rail spur so that each of the plurality of empty proppant containers underlies a source of proppant received from rail cars on the rail spur, each of the plurality of empty containers including at least a first end surface and at least a second different end surface and each of the first and second end surfaces having a plurality of upright structural support members thereon to enhance integrity of the container for stacking and so that heavy weight from the proppant can be stored therein;
b) filling the plurality of empty proppant containers with proppant thereby to produce a plurality of proppant filled containers, the plurality of empty proppant containers being filled when positioned on the respective trailer of the respective proppant transporting road vehicles;
c) transferring the plurality of proppant filled containers with one or more proppant transporting road vehicles to a drill site; and
d) unloading each of the plurality of proppant filled containers with an unloader.
3 Assignments
1 Petition
Accused Products
Abstract
A method of delivering proppant to a well site has the steps of transporting a load of proppant in a vessel to a desired location, moving the load of proppant from the vessel into a container so as to create a proppant-loaded container, unloading the proppant-loaded container into a pneumatic bulk trailer, and transporting the unloaded proppant in the pneumatic bulk trailer to well site. The container is placed onto a bed of a truck and moved in proximity to the vessel. The proppant-loaded container is placed onto a tilting mechanism and then tilted so that the proppant is discharged through a flow gate of a container into a hopper. The proppant in the hopper can then be conveyed to the pneumatic bulk trailer.
431 Citations
6 Claims
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1. A method of loading and transporting proppant, the method comprising:
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a) positioning a plurality of empty proppant containers, each removably positioned on a trailer of a respective proppant transporting road vehicle and structurally strengthened to receive a large volume of proppant having a substantially spherical shape therein, in close proximity to a rail spur so that each of the plurality of empty proppant containers underlies a source of proppant received from rail cars on the rail spur, each of the plurality of empty containers including at least a first end surface and at least a second different end surface and each of the first and second end surfaces having a plurality of upright structural support members thereon to enhance integrity of the container for stacking and so that heavy weight from the proppant can be stored therein; b) filling the plurality of empty proppant containers with proppant thereby to produce a plurality of proppant filled containers, the plurality of empty proppant containers being filled when positioned on the respective trailer of the respective proppant transporting road vehicles; c) transferring the plurality of proppant filled containers with one or more proppant transporting road vehicles to a drill site; and d) unloading each of the plurality of proppant filled containers with an unloader. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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Specification