Centralized Fracturing Slurry Delivery Using Produced Water
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for producing fracturing slurry at well sites incur significant costs and environmental impacts due to the need for onsite blending equipment, truck transportation of sand and chemicals, and the handling of produced water, which is inefficient and polluting.
Innovation Solution
A centralized facility is used to receive and process water, sand, and chemicals to produce fracturing slurry, which is then delivered via pipelines to fracturing sites, eliminating the need for onsite blending and reducing truck transportation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If fracturing slurry is produced onsite at well sites, then the slurry can be immediately used for fracturing operations, but significant costs and environmental impacts are incurred due to the need for onsite blending equipment, truck transportation of sand and chemicals, and handling of produced water
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the fracturing slurry production process into separate components (water, sand, chemicals) that are transported independently via pipelines to the well site, where they are combined on-demand. This segmentation eliminates the need for large-scale onsite blending equipment and reduces the environmental footprint of slurry production.
Solution Approach 2:
A centralized slurry production facility acts as an intermediary between the sand/chemical sources and the well sites. This intermediary facility produces the fracturing slurry and delivers it via pipeline, replacing the traditional model where each well site must independently blend and store all components.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If produced water is disposed of through traditional methods, then disposal is achieved, but environmental pollution and inefficiency increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system converts the previously harmful waste product (produced water) into a valuable resource by transporting it via pipeline to the centralized slurry production facility, where it is used as the water component in fracturing slurry. This transforms an environmental liability into an asset, eliminating disposal costs and reducing pollution.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of discarding produced water through traditional disposal methods, the system recovers it by transporting it via pipeline to the slurry production facility, where it is reused in the fracturing process. This recovery approach maximizes water utilization efficiency and minimizes environmental impact.
3Ease of operation
If onsite storage and blending equipment are used at well sites, then slurry production is flexible and immediate, but safety risks and operational complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts the complex blending and storage operations from the well site environment and relocates them to a centralized facility. This extraction eliminates the need for well sites to maintain expensive and complex blending equipment, storage tanks, and associated safety infrastructure, while still providing flexible slurry delivery through pipeline infrastructure.
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 costs, minimizes pollution, and enhances safety by eliminating the need for onsite storage and blending equipment, while enabling more efficient and sustainable use of produced water for fracturing operations.
Implementation Method 1
Movement of the produced water, the sand, and the chemicals through the one or more fracturing slurry pipelines passively mixes the produced water, the sand, and the chemicals into a fracturing slurry without using active mixing equipment
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods presented herein generally relate to a method that includes receiving water at a centralized facility. The method also includes receiving sand from one or more sand mines at the centralized facility. The method further includes receiving one or more chemicals at the centralized facility. In addition, the method includes using processing equipment of the centralized facility to process the water, the sand, and the one or more chemicals to produce a fracturing slurry. The method also includes conveying the fracturing slurry from the centralized facility to one or more fracturing sites.