Low-Pressure Injector Line for High-Pressure Fracturing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Hydraulic fracturing fluids with larger diameter particles pose challenges in pumping due to premature wear and equipment clearance issues, limiting the effective delivery of oilfield materials to wellheads.
Innovation Solution
A hydraulic fracturing system with a low-pressure blender system and control system that isolates and injects a slurry mixture with larger particles into a high-pressure injector line, using valves and pumps to manage fluid flow and pressure, allowing for remote operation and multi-stage fracturing treatments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If large diameter particles are used in fracturing fluid, then formation permeability enhancement is improved, but equipment wear and clearance issues worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the particle delivery process by creating a separate low-pressure injection line that bypasses the high-pressure pump. This allows large particles to be injected without passing through pump components, thereby preventing equipment wear while still achieving formation permeability enhancement through the particles.
Solution Approach 2:
A low-pressure pump acts as an intermediary device to deliver large particles to the high-pressure system. The low-pressure pump handles the particle-laden fluid without exposing its internal components to high stress, while still enabling particle injection into the high-pressure fracturing system that enhances formation permeability.
2Reliability
If large diameter particles are used in fracturing fluid, then proppant effectiveness is improved, but pump degradation accelerates
Solution Approach 1:
The particle injection system is segmented from the high-pressure pumping system. Large particles are injected through a separate low-pressure line that bypasses the main pump, allowing the pump to operate without particle contact and thus extending its service life while maintaining proppant effectiveness in the formation.
Solution Approach 2:
The low-pressure injection system serves as an intermediary that delivers large proppant particles to the fracturing system without requiring them to pass through the high-pressure pump. This protects the pump from degradation while still achieving effective proppant placement for long-term formation productivity.
3Manufacturing precision
If clearances in fracturing equipment are reduced, then pumping precision is improved, but particle passage capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system separates the particle transport function from the high-pressure pumping function. The low-pressure injection line has larger clearances suitable for particle passage, while the high-pressure pump maintains tight clearances for precise pumping control. This segmentation allows both requirements to be satisfied simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The low-pressure pump acts as an intermediary that handles particle-laden fluid with adequate clearances, then transfers it to the high-pressure system. This allows the high-pressure pump to maintain precise pumping control with tight clearances while the intermediary handles the particle passage requirement.
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
Enables the efficient delivery of oilfield materials with larger particles into high-pressure systems without damaging equipment, facilitating increased hydrocarbon flow and remote operation of fracturing treatments.
Implementation Method 1
A low-pressure pump may then be used to deliver the slurry mixture into the injector line
Implementation Method 2
Hydraulic fracturing includes pumping a fracturing fluid at a high pressure (e.g., in excess of 10,000 psi) to crack the formation
Implementation Method 3
A plurality of valves may be disposed along the injector line and may be remotely actuated
Data Source
AI summary
A system includes a hydraulic fracturing system including a tank having a slurry and an injector line, where the injector line is disposed between a high-pressure pump and a treatment line to fluidly couple to a wellhead. The system includes a plurality of valves disposed adjacent to the injector line and a control system communicatively coupled to the plurality of valves. The control system fluidly isolates the injector line using the plurality of valves, fills the injector line with an amount of the slurry using a first valve of the plurality of valves, and injects the slurry into the treatment line using a second valve of the plurality of valves.