US20170030176A1

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Info

Publication number: US20170030176A1
Application number: US15/039,361
Authority: US
Inventors: Calvin Lynn Stegemoeller; Chad Adam Fisher
Original assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Inc
Current assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Inc
Priority date: 2013-12-31
Filing date: 2013-12-31
Publication date: 2017-02-02
Also published as: CA2932018A1; WO2015102601A1

Abstract

A method and system for chemical transportation, storage, and dispensation, which provides a base with ISO mounts for enabling a ISO tank, van container, screw conveyor, or the like to be carried thereon. The base accommodates either or both of “roll off” or “hooklift hoist” technologies to allow easy loading and unloading. A first end of the base is carried by one or more rollers, and the underside is structured to allow rolling of the base on the bed or rack of the transport vehicle. After unloading the base with its ISO cargo, the transport vehicle leaves the well site and is free to retrieve another ISO tank or container as appropriate, thereby lowering the tractor-trailer capital requirements to support fracturing operations. Weigh scales allow the weight of the ISO container to be determined to allow the operator to monitor the inventory of chemicals as they are used.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates generally to oilfield equipment and in particular to surface equipment for supporting fracturing operations.

BACKGROUND

Well site locations for oil and gas wells have become increasingly congested, particularly as enhanced recovery techniques have been developed. After drilling operations have finished and during well completion operations, a well site may generally include a wellhead, blowout preventers, hydraulic fracturing and proppant systems, pumps, generators, water storage, transfer and treatment equipment, and chemical and proppant storage containers. Other equipment associated with drilling, completing, and/or producing wellbore may also be provided at the well site location.

Modern enhanced recovery techniques may result in multiple wellheads at a single well site and/or wellbores with multiple lateral branches. Hydraulic fracturing operations utilized in enhanced oil and gas recovery, for example, may generally include raw materials for preparation of fracturing fluid, a blender system, a pump system, as well as transfer equipment. In the past, a fracturing operation for a single well might take three to ten days, after which, the fracturing equipment was removed. However, now with multiple wellhead per well site or multiple lateral branches extending from a primary wellbore being more common, fracturing equipment may remain at a single location for multiple weeks. Accordingly, there is a recognized need to reduce the footprint of fracturing equipment at a well site.

The traditional method for transporting and storing liquid or dry chemicals on location at a well site is by conventional tractor/trailer, flatbed trailer, or bobtail truck.

Prior to delivery to a well site, large quantities of required liquid chemicals are loaded into one or more tanker trailers. In some cases, large volumes of liquid chemical are supplied in International Standards Organization “ISO” specified tanks—chemical tanks contained inside a 20 ft. by 8 ft. by 8.5 ft. frame with standardized mounting locations. ISO tanks are attached to a semi-trailer specifically designed to accept ISO frames. Smaller volumes of liquid chemicals are typically loaded in totes and carried on flatbed trailers. The tanker trailers and flatbed trailers are then transported to the well site, where they remain parked for the duration of the fracturing job or until the tanks are emptied.

The liquid chemicals are typically dispensed directly from the tanker trailers, ISO tanks, and totes during the fracturing job. In large-volume chemical operations, the chemical inventory is typically monitored manually by dipstick, but in some cases, an electronic fluid level device may be available. In small-volume liquid chemical operations, the chemical inventory is usually monitored by dipstick, or in some instances, by weigh scales.

In the case of dry chemicals, large volumes of dry chemicals are traditionally supplied in “big bags”—approximately 4 cubic foot bags with a bottom drawstring outlet. Big bags are typically transported from the supplier to the well site by a tractor-trailer. Small volumes of dry chemicals are commonly packaged in sacks or bags, for example 50 lb. bags. The bags are transported to the well site on flatbed trucks or tractor-trailers and stored there for the duration of the fracturing job or until the load is used up. Dry chemicals are susceptible to moisture and must be covered while stored in inclement weather.

To dispense, big bags are suspended by a crane over a screw feeder at ground level, and the dry chemical is gravity fed into the screw feeder hopper to be introduced into the fracturing blender system. Small bags are transferred manually from the truck or trailer to a metering feeder on a fracturing blender as required by the fluid system being mixed. In large or small volume dry chemical operations, the inventory is monitored by counting the bags of chemical used.

Accordingly, if a particular job calls for 3000 gallons each of five different liquid chemicals and a large quantity of dry chemical, there would be five tanker tractor-trailers and at least one van tractor-trailer parked on location for the duration of the fracturing operations, occupying at least six 8 ft. by 60 ft. footprints of pad space, or 2880 sq. ft. Similarly, in the case of smaller volume liquid or dry chemicals, a flatbed trailer with totes or small bags of chemicals occupies another 8 ft. by 60 ft (320 sq. ft.) footprint of pad space. In addition to footprint requirements, there is a capital expense associated with tractor-trailers, flatbeds, and tandem axle trucks being tied up and idle for a substantial part if not the entire duration of a fracturing operation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments are described in detail hereinafter with reference to the accompanying figures, in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevation view in partial cross section of a well site during completion operations that employs a hydraulic fracturing system, chemical storage units, and associated systems and equipment for supporting fracturing operations according to an embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a chemical transportation, storage, and dispensation system according to one or more embodiments, showing a base designed to accommodate either “roll off” or “hook” portable container technologies adapted for carrying an intermodal shipping container on load cells;

FIG. 3 is an elevation view of the chemical transportation, storage, and dispensation system ofFIG. 2, shown carrying a tank mounted within a shipping container frame;

FIG. 4 is an elevation view of the chemical transportation, storage, and dispensation system ofFIG. 2, shown carrying a van container for storage of small volume dry chemical bags;

FIG. 5 is an elevation view of the chemical transportation, storage, and dispensation system ofFIG. 2, shown carrying a commercially available screw conveyor adapted with corner castings for dispensing large volumes of dry chemical;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged exploded perspective diagram of a quick disconnect connector system according to an embodiment for use with the system ofFIGS. 2-5;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged perspective view of the quick disconnect connector system ofFIG. 6, showing a mount and connector of the base ofFIG. 2 received into an oval hole of a corner casting of an intermodal shipping container and oriented in an unlocked position;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged perspective view of the quick disconnect connector system ofFIG. 7, shown in a locked position; and

FIG. 9 is a flow chart of a portion of a method for completing a wellbore according to an embodiment, demonstrating use of the chemical transportation, storage, and dispensation system ofFIGS. 1-8.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The foregoing disclosure may repeat reference numerals and/or letters in the various examples. This repetition is for the purpose of simplicity and clarity and does not in itself dictate a relationship between the various embodiments and/or configurations discussed. Further, spatially relative terms, such as “beneath,” “below,” “lower,” “above,” “upper,” “uphole,” “downhole,” “upstream,” “downstream,” and the like, may be used herein for ease of description to describe one element or feature's relationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. The spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the apparatus in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures.

FIG. 1 is an elevation view in partial cross-section of awell site120 during well completion operations according to an embodiment.Well site120 may include a wellhead124, which may be fluidly connected to a hydraulicfracturing pumping system126. According to an embodiment,well site120 may include a chemical transportation, storage, anddispensation system10, which may consist of one or more

chemical handling apparatus

20,30, for example.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a chemical handling apparatus according to one or more embodiments, and in particular of a chemical transportation, storage, anddispensation system10.FIG. 3 is an elevation view of chemical transportation, storage, anddispensation system10, shown carrying a tank mounted within a shipping container frame.FIG. 4 is an elevation view of chemical transportation, storage, anddispensation system10, shown carrying a van container for storage of small volume dry chemical bags. Referring toFIGS. 2-4, chemical transportation, storage, anddispensation system10 provides a common platform orbase12, withmounts14 andconnectors16 for enabling an intermodal shipping tank container20 (FIG. 3) or van container30 (FIG. 4), for example, to be attached to theupper side13 ofplatform12. In an embodiment, eachmount14 andconnector16 interfaces with astructural receptacle26 located at the bottom of

containers

20,30, typically at the corners.

In one or more embodiments,base12,mounts14, andconnectors16 are designed and arranged to carry standard 20 ft. ISO shipping containers, althoughbase12,mounts14, andconnectors16 may equally be designed to carry shipping containers conforming with other standards and having other dimensions or mounting arrangements, as appropriate. In some embodiments,base12 is no larger than 8 ft. by 60 ft.

Base

12 is ideally designed to accommodate either the “roll off” or “hooklift hoist” technologies, or both, which are associated with the refuse business and allow portable containers to be loaded and unloaded easily. Afirst end17 ofbase12 is carried by one ormore rollers18, which allowend17 to be rolled on the ground asbase12 is loaded on or unloaded from a transport vehicle (not illustrated). “Roll-off” technology employs a truck or trailer with a tiltable bed, andbase12 is winched on and off the tilted bed by connection to apad eye22 mounted to a second end ofbase12. “Hooklift hoist” technology, on the other hand, employs a pivoting hydraulic hooklift hoist arm that engages an elevatedhooklift hoist attachment32 and lifts the container onto a rack that is attached to the truck or trailer frame. Theunderside11 ofbase12 may be reinforced with ribs or track (not illustrated) to allow smooth and straight rolling of thebase12 on the bed or rack of the transport vehicle.

According to one or more embodiments, a “roll off” truck or trailer, or a “hooklift” truck or trailer is used only for the transportation ofbase12 with its carried ISOtank20 orvan container30.Base12 is unloaded at the well site and occupies a fraction of the footprint required by the traditional storage of a tractor-trailer on site. For example, for the above requirement of five 3000 gallon liquid chemical tanks and one large quantity of dry chemical, there need only be six of 8 ft. by 20 ft. ISO containers on location, occupying approximately 1000 sq. ft. of pad compared to the original 2880 sq. ft.

After unloadingbase12, the transport truck then leaves the well site location and is free to retrieve another ISO tank or container as appropriate. Thus, a single transport vehicle with “roll off” or “hooklift” technology can support multiple ISO tanks or containers, reducing the invested capital by lowering the vehicle requirements to support the liquid and dry chemical operations by fifty percent or greater over prior art methods.

As shown inFIGS. 2 and 3, according to one or more embodiments, mounts14 include or incorporateweigh scales50 that allow the gross weight oftank container20 to be determined. In particular,base12 includes weight scales50 between the ISO mounts and thesurface13 ofbase12.Scales50 allow the operator to monitor the inventory of chemicals and provide reduction-in-weight measurement of chemicals as they are used.Scales50 may be mechanical, or electronic using load cells, strain gauges, or the like.Scales50 may provide independent weight measurements, or they may provide separate quality control checks to correlate volumetric metering devices.

FIG. 4 is an elevation view of an arrangement for storage of small volume dry chemicals, in which a standard 20 ft ISO van container is attached tobase12, allowing for the weatherproof storage of the sacked dry chemicals for future use.Scales50 may be used for inventory control in addition to or in lieu of counting dry chemical sacks.

FIG. 5 is an elevation view of an arrangement for handling of large volume chemicals.Base12 carries an industry-standard screw conveyor60 that is outfitted with an ISO frame or mounts62 to transport, store, and meter large volume dry chemicals to a fracturing blender mixer (not illustrated) with minimal human and weather exposure. However, bulk material devices other than an auger may be used and carried atopbase12 as appropriate.

In an embodiment, screwconveyor60 includes aconveyor body64 and anelongate auger assembly66.Conveyor body64 may include achemical storage compartment67 with aninternal hopper68 that feeds material into a lower end ofauger assembly66.Auger assembly66 includes atube70 that houses and engages arotatable auger screw72. Amotor74 selectively rotatesauger screw72 withintube70, thereby transferring the material that falls fromhopper68 into the lower end of auger assembly to the upper end ofauger assembly66, where the material is dispensed through achute76. An actuator78 may be included to selectively control the tilt ofauger assembly66.

FIG. 6 is an exploded diagram in perspective view of a quick-disconnect connector system used withbase12,

containers

20,30, and screwconveyor60 according to an embodiment.FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the quick-disconnect connector system ofFIG. 6 in a connected but unlocked state.FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the quick-disconnect connector system ofFIG. 6 in a connected and locked state. Referring toFIGS. 6-8, in one or more embodiments, the quick-disconnect connector system is an ISO twistlock connector.Receptacle26 forms the female part of the connector system and is structurally fitted to the container frame itself, typically at the corners. Accordingly,receptacle26 is commonly known as a corner casting.Receptacle26 has no moving parts, and it has anoval aperture27 formed in the bottom.

Connectors

16 are fixed atopmounts14 of base12 (FIG. 2). Eachconnector16 has a fixed stand orpedestal24. A taperedcrown25 is fixed atopstand24 so that it may be rotated about anaxis29 throughconnector16 that is normal tobase14, as indicated byarrow28 onFIG. 6. To carry a container atopbase12,crown25 is oriented to align with the major axis ofoval aperture27, and the container is lowered so thatconnector16 is received withinoval aperture27 as shown inFIG. 7. Next,crown25 is rotated 90 degrees, so that it will no longer pass throughoval aperture27, thereby locking the container to mount14, as shown inFIG. 8.

FIG. 9 is a flow chart that details a portion of a method for completing a well according to an embodiment using chemical transportation, storage, anddispensation system10 ofFIGS. 1-8. The portion of the method shown inFIG. 9 is particularly useful when hydraulic fracturing operations are used.

Atstep200, a shipping container, which may be an ISO tank20 (FIG. 3) or van container30 (FIG. 4), for example, is provided. Atstep202, the shipping container is filled with a chemical. Atstep204, a base12 (FIG. 2), equipped with a roller at one end and at least a winching pad eye or a hook lift hoist attachment at the other end, is provided. Atstep206, the shipping container is mounted atop the base. Althoughstep202, holding a chemical within the shipping container, is illustrated as occurring before the shipping container is mounted to the base, in an embodiment the shipping container may be filled with the chemical after it has been mounted to the base.

Next, atstep208, a transport vehicle is provided. The transport vehicle may have a tiltable bed and a winch or a rack and a hooklift hoist arm. Atstep210, the base with shipping container is lifted on to the transport vehicle. In the case of the transport vehicle having a tiltable bed, the bed is first tilted, the winch is connected to the winching pad eye of the base, the base is winched atop said bed while the roller carries at least part of the weight of the base for at least part of the winching process, and finally the bed is lowered back to a level orientation. In the case of the transport vehicle having a hooklift hoist arm, the hooklift hoist arm is connected to the hooklift hoist attachment of the base and the base is hoisted atop the rack of the transport vehicle by said hooklift hoist arm while the roller carries at least part of the weight of the base for part of the hoisting process.

At step212, the base with its mounted shipping container is moved by the transport vehicle to well site120 (FIG. 1). Atstep214, the base and its shipping container are unloading from the transport vehicle by essentially reversing the loading process ofstep210, and the base and its shipping container are placed on the ground at the well site.

The above process ofFIG. 9 may then be repeated until all the required chemicals are located at the well site. There, the chemicals held by the shipping containers are readily available for fracturing operations without requiring the larger footprint or capital expense of multiple tractor-trailers.

In summary, a chemical handling apparatus, a well completion system, and a method for handling chemicals have been described. Embodiments of the chemical handling apparatus may generally have: A generally planar base; a roller rotatively coupled to a first end of the base; at least one a winching pad eye or a hooklift hoist attachment mounted to a second end of the base opposite the first end; and a plurality of mounts coupled to the base and arranged to securely carry a shipping container atop the base. Embodiments of the well completion system may generally have: A wellhead atop a wellbore; a fracturing system disposed adjacent to the wellhead and fluidly coupled to the wellbore via the wellhead; and at least one chemical handling apparatus disposed in proximity to the fracturing system, each of the at least one chemical handling apparatus including a generally planar base, a roller rotatively coupled to a first end of the base, at least a winching pad eye or a hooklift hoist attachment mounted to a second end of the base opposite the first end, a plurality of mounts coupled to the base, and a shipping container carried atop the base and fixed to the base by the plurality of mounts. Embodiments of the method for handling chemicals may generally include: Providing a shipping container; holding a chemical within the shipping container; providing a generally planar base, a roller rotatively coupled to a first end of the base, and at least a winching pad eye or a hooklift hoist attachment mounted to a second end of the base opposite the first end; and mounting a the shipping container atop the base.

The Abstract of the disclosure is solely for providing the United States Patent and Trademark Office and the public at large with a way by which to determine quickly from a cursory reading the nature and gist of technical disclosure, and it represents solely one or more embodiments.

While various embodiments have been illustrated in detail, the disclosure is not limited to the embodiments shown. Modifications and adaptations of the above embodiments may occur to those skilled in the art. Such modifications and adaptations are in the spirit and scope of the disclosure.

Claims

What is claimed:

1. A chemical handling apparatus comprising:

a generally planar base;

a roller rotatively coupled to a first end of said base;

at least one of the group consisting of a winching pad eye and a hooklift hoist attachment mounted to a second end of said base opposite said first end; and

a plurality of mounts coupled to said base and arranged to securely carry a shipping container atop said base.

2. The apparatus ofclaim 1, wherein:

said shipping container is an intermodal container that conforms to International Standards Organization specifications; and

said plurality of mounts is dimensioned to accept said shipping container.

3. The apparatus ofclaim 1, further comprising:

a connector carried atop each of said plurality of mounts for securing said shipping container to said base.

4. The apparatus ofclaim 1, further comprising:

a twistlock connector carried atop each of said plurality of mounts and arranged to be received in a corner casting of said shipping container for securing said shipping container to said base.

5. The apparatus ofclaim 1, further comprising:

a scale coupled to said base and arranged for measuring a weight of said shipping container when carried atop said base.

6. The apparatus ofclaim 5, wherein:

said scale includes at least one of the group consisting of a strain gauge and a load cell.

7. The apparatus ofclaim 1, further comprising:

said shipping container connected to said mounts.

8. The apparatus ofclaim 7, wherein:

said shipping container is a 20 foot ISO tank container.

9. The apparatus ofclaim 7, wherein:

said shipping container is a 20 foot ISO van container.

10. The apparatus ofclaim 1, further comprising:

a bulk material conveying device connected to said mounts.

11. The apparatus ofclaim 10, wherein:

said bulk material conveying device is an auger assembly connected to said mounts.

12. A method for handling chemicals, comprising:

providing a shipping container;

holding a chemical within said shipping container;

providing a generally planar base, a roller rotatively coupled to a first end of said base, and at least one of the group consisting of a winching pad eye and a hooklift hoist attachment mounted to a second end of said base opposite said first end; and

mounting a said shipping container atop said base.

13. The method ofclaim 12, further comprising:

providing a transport vehicle having a tiltable bed and a winch;

tilting the bed of said transport vehicle;

coupling said winch to said winching pad eye; and

winching said base carrying said shipping container atop said bed.

14. The method ofclaim 12, further comprising:

providing a transport vehicle having a rack and a hooklift hoist arm;

coupling said hooklift hoist arm to said hooklift hoist attachment; and

hoisting said base carrying said shipping container atop said rack by said hooklift hoist arm.

15. The method ofclaim 12, further comprising:

providing a transport vehicle; and

lifting said base carrying said shipping container on to said vehicle, said roller carrying at least a part of the weight of said base and said shipping container while lifting.

16. The method ofclaim 15, further comprising:

transporting said base and said shipping container to a well site; and

placing said base on the ground at said well site.

17. The method ofclaim 16, further comprising:

placing said base in proximity to a fracturing system at said well site;

removing a quantity of said chemical from said shipping container;

introducing said quantity of said chemical into the fracturing system; and

conducting fracturing operations.

18. The method ofclaim 12, further comprising:

providing a scale on said base; and

weighing said shipping container with said scale.

19. The method ofclaim 18, further comprising:

determining an amount of said chemical dispensed from said shipping container using said scale.

20. The method ofclaim 18, further comprising:

determining an amount of said chemical present within said shipping container using said scale.

21. A well completion system comprising:

a wellhead disposed atop a wellbore;

a fracturing system disposed in proximity to the wellhead and fluidly coupled to the wellbore via the wellhead; and

at least one chemical handling apparatus disposed in proximity to the fracturing system, each of said at least one chemical handling apparatus including a generally planar base, a roller rotatively coupled to a first end of said base, at least one of the group consisting of a winching pad eye and a hooklift hoist attachment mounted to a second end of said base opposite said first end, a plurality of mounts coupled to said base, and a shipping container carried atop said base and fixed to said base by said plurality of mounts.

22. The well completion system ofclaim 21, further comprising:

a first of said at least one chemical handling apparatus, wherein said first chemical handling apparatus is characterized by a 20 foot ISO van container; and

a second of said at least one chemical handling apparatus, wherein said first chemical handling apparatus is characterized by a 20 foot ISO tank container.

23. The well completion system ofclaim 21, further comprising:

a fracturing blender; and

a screw conveyer disposed in proximity to said fracturing blender so as to convey a quantity of a chemical into said fracturing blender, said screw conveyor being mounted atop a generally planar base, said base having a roller rotatively coupled to a first end of said base, at least one of the group consisting of a winching pad eye and a hooklift hoist attachment mounted to a second end of said base opposite said first end.