On-Site Brine Mixing System for Oilfield Operations
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for providing brine in oilfield operations are inefficient and costly, requiring numerous truck deliveries of brine solutions, which pose safety risks and operational challenges due to the need for transporting large volumes of water over long distances, especially in inclement weather, and often necessitate varying concentrations of brine depending on subsurface formations.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for on-site preparation of brine by dissolving solid salt in water using a mixing tank with nozzles and pumps, allowing for the creation of concentrated brine, which is then stored and diluted to the required concentration as needed, using a local water source, thereby reducing transportation needs and enabling flexible concentration adjustments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If brine is transported from remote mix facilities to wellbore sites by tank trucks, then brine supply is provided to the site, but the number of truck deliveries increases and operational complexity and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The mixing operation is extracted from the remote facility and relocated to the wellbore site. A portable mixing system with tank, pump, and nozzle assembly is brought to the site, allowing brine to be mixed on-location rather than transported ready-mixed. This eliminates the need for numerous truck deliveries while maintaining adequate brine supply.
Solution Approach 2:
The wellbore site becomes self-sufficient in brine production by using local water sources and portable mixing equipment. The site can mix its own brine as needed, eliminating dependence on external truck deliveries and remote facilities, thereby reducing operational complexity.
2Quantity of substance
If large volumes of water are transported long distances to wellbore sites, then brine preparation is enabled, but safety risks increase especially in inclement weather
Solution Approach 1:
The water transport requirement is extracted and replaced by utilizing local water sources at the wellbore site. Instead of transporting large volumes of water long distances, the system brings only the necessary mixing equipment and uses readily available local water, dramatically reducing safety risks associated with weather-related transport hazards.
3Adaptability or versatility
If varying concentrations of brine are provided during well life, then brine effectiveness is optimized for different subsurface formations, but multiple truck deliveries with different concentrations are required
Solution Approach 1:
The brine mixing system is made dynamic and adjustable at the wellbore site. The portable mixer can vary brine concentration in real-time based on formation requirements, eliminating the need for separate truck deliveries for different concentrations. Operators can adjust mixing ratios on-demand, optimizing effectiveness while improving delivery efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The brine concentration parameter can be changed at the wellbore site by adjusting the mixing ratio in the portable system. This allows adaptation to different subsurface formations without requiring multiple pre-mixed deliveries, as the concentration can be modified in-place according to real-time operational needs.
4Ease of operation
If solid salt is dissolved in water using nozzles and pumps at the wellbore site, then on-site brine preparation is achieved, but mixing equipment must be transported to the site
Solution Approach 1:
The mixing system is segmented into portable components (tank, pump, nozzle assembly) that can be transported separately and assembled at the wellbore site. This segmentation allows the equipment to be moved in manageable units rather than as a single heavy system, enabling on-site preparation while reducing transport difficulty.
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 significantly reduces the number of truck deliveries, minimizes safety risks, and allows for efficient on-site brine concentration adjustments, enhancing operational efficiency and cost-effectiveness by enabling the delivery of larger volumes of dilute brine and reducing the mass of materials transported.
Implementation Method 1
pumping the water through a plurality of nozzles in the mixing tank using a pump adjacent to the mixing tank to circulate the water in the mixing tank and form a concentrated brine by dissolving the solid salt in the water
Implementation Method 2
The concentrated brine is transferred from the mixing tank to a reservoir, such as a series of 500-barrel tanks, using the pump
Implementation Method 3
The concentrated brine is later diluted with water from the local source to form a dilute brine, which may be stored in an additional series of 500-barrel tanks
Data Source
AI summary
A method of providing a salt solution at a wellbore site includes delivering solid salt in a mixing tank containing water from a local source and pumping the water through nozzles in the mixing tank using a pump adjacent to the mixing tank to circulate the water in the mixing tank and form a concentrated brine by dissolving the solid salt in the water. The concentrated brine is transferred from the mixing tank to a reservoir using the pump, and the concentrated brine is diluted with additional water from the local source to form a dilute brine. A related mixing tank and a system including the mixing tank and a vehicle structured and configured for travel over a roadway and within an oilfield site.