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Method and apparatus for providing heated water for fracing

Inactive Publication Date: 2014-01-30
ROCANDA USA
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention aims to provide a portable and efficient direct fire heater for heating fracing fluid. The technical effect is to offer a practical solution for heating fracing fluid in a quick and effective way, allowing for improved performance in the field.

Problems solved by technology

During fracturing, the fluid being injected into the well is under very high pressure which causes cracks in the underground formation where the fluid is being injected.
Consequently, the construction of a permanent heating facility to heat the fracing fluid is not cost effective.
Each time there is a conversion from one medium of energy to another form of energy, there are energy loses.
When a fracing fluid is heated and is waiting to be injected into the well, it will lose some of its heat.

Method used

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  • Method and apparatus for providing heated water for fracing
  • Method and apparatus for providing heated water for fracing
  • Method and apparatus for providing heated water for fracing

Examples

Experimental program
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Embodiment Construction

[0025]Turning now to FIG. 1, a pictorial schematic of a fracing operation at the well head of a hydrocarbon-producing well is shown. A source of cold water comes in through cold water line 11. The source of cold water coming in through cold water line 11 may be from any convenient source such as a well, river or lake. The cold water line 11 has shut off with valve 13, which may be of any particular design such as a butterfly ball valve. The cold water flowing through the cold water line and shut off valve 13 flows through the X-connector 15 and valve 17 into direct fire heater 19 as will be explained in more detail. The direct fire heater 19 has a source of fuel such as propane tank 21. Propane tank 21 may be replaced by gas from the oil field being produced or some other suitable source.

[0026]Hot water from the direct fire heater 19 flows through hot water line 23 and hot water manifold 25 into frac tanks 27. Frac tanks 27 are simply storage units that are portable and may be moved...

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PUM

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Abstract

In an oil field fracing operation, a direct fire heater is provided that is mobile and self-contained on a trailer chassis. The direct fire heater has the maximum heat exchange possible between a burning gas and the fracing fluid by direct contact therewith. Recirculation is provided to maintain the fracing fluid at the desired temperature. A stack for the direct fire heater is removable for movement from one frac job or frac water heating site to another. Pellets in the stack helps insure a more complete heat exchange between the fracing fluid and the burning gas.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]1. Technical Field[0002]The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for heating water for fracing oil and / or gas wells and, more particularly, to a portable direct fire heater that may be used in heating water for fracing.[0003]2. Brief Description of the Prior Art[0004]In the production of hydrocarbons, it is common to treat oil and / or gas wells with heated fluids such as water when hydraulically fracturing the formation. This hydraulic fracturing, known as a “frac” job, involves injecting large quantities of a heated fluid such as water into a subterranean formation under high pressure to hydraulically fracture the formation. Such a frac job is typically used to initiate production in low permeability reservoirs.[0005]During fracturing, the fluid being injected into the well is under very high pressure which causes cracks in the underground formation where the fluid is being injected. The fluid being injected typically has a mixture of ...

Claims

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Application Information

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IPC IPC(8): F22B1/18
CPCE21B21/062E21B43/2607
Inventor ROMOCKI, ANDREW M.O'HEHIR, JOHN R.GORRELL, CARROLL D.KUMMER, RODNEY C.HOWARD, WILLIAM K.
Owner ROCANDA USA