Centralized Fracturing Slurry Mixing for Lower Transport Costs
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for preparing hydraulic fracturing slurry at well sites incur significant transportation and logistical costs due to the need for onsite mixing and delivery of sand, chemicals, and water, leading to environmental pollution and inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
A centralized facility is used to mix friction-reducing additives with water to create a friction-reduced hydraulic fracturing slurry, which is then conveyed via pipelines to well sites, eliminating the need for onsite blending equipment and reducing transportation costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If hydraulic fracturing slurry is prepared onsite at well sites, then the slurry can be immediately injected into the reservoir, but transportation and logistical costs increase significantly due to the need for onsite mixing and delivery of sand, chemicals, and water
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by preparing the friction-reduced water in advance at a centralized facility before it is needed at the well site. The friction-reducing additive is mixed with water at the centralized location, and this pre-prepared friction-reduced water is then conveyed to the well site for immediate slurry injection, eliminating the need for onsite blending operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses friction-reducing additives as an intermediary substance that modifies the properties of water to reduce friction during transportation. This intermediary chemical agent allows the water to be transported more efficiently through pipelines from the centralized facility to the well site, reducing the energy required for conveyance.
2Adaptability or versatility
If sand and chemicals are transported to well sites for onsite blending, then flexible slurry preparation is achieved, but environmental pollution increases and operational inefficiencies occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the slurry preparation process from the well site and relocates it to a centralized facility. By taking out the mixing operation from the remote well site and concentrating it at a central location, the patent reduces the environmental impact associated with transporting multiple components to dispersed well sites and performing onsite blending.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the water and friction-reducing additive mixing operation at a centralized facility, combining multiple functions (water supply, chemical dosing, friction reduction) into a single integrated location. This consolidation reduces the number of separate transportation streams and minimizes environmental exposure.
3Loss of energy
If friction-reducing additives are added at centralized facilities, then transportation costs are reduced, but the complexity of additive dispersion and mixing increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses hydraulic principles to disperse the friction-reducing additive into the water stream at the centralized facility. By utilizing the flow dynamics of water moving through pipelines, the system achieves effective mixing and dispersion of the additive without requiring complex mechanical mixing equipment at the well site.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach reduces transportation costs, minimizes environmental impact, and enhances operational safety by streamlining the logistics of sand and chemical delivery, while ensuring consistent and reliable fracturing operations.
Implementation Method 1
at least one eductor configured to disperse the friction-reducing additive into the fluid
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods presented herein generally relate to a method that includes using a low-shear addition system at a centralized facility to add a friction-reducing additive to a fluid to produce friction-reduced hydraulic fracturing slurry. The method also includes conveying the friction-reduced hydraulic fracturing slurry from the centralized facility to at least one fracturing site. The method further includes injecting the friction-reduced hydraulic fracturing slurry into a reservoir to stimulate at least one well at the at least one fracturing site.