Split Stream Oilfield Pumping System for Abrasive Wear Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Plunger pumps used in high-pressure oilfield applications, such as hydraulic fracturing, have a short lifespan due to the abrasive nature of fracturing fluids, leading to high maintenance and replacement costs, as the internal components wear out quickly from exposure to proppants.
Innovation Solution
The fracturing fluid is split into a clean stream and a dirty stream, where the clean stream is pumped by clean pumps (such as multistage centrifugal or progressing cavity pumps) and the dirty stream by dirty pumps (also plunger pumps), reducing the exposure of clean pumps to abrasive materials and extending their lifespan.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If plunger pumps are used to pump fracturing fluid at high pressure, then the pumping capability is achieved, but the pump components wear out quickly due to abrasive proppants
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the pumping function into two separate pump streams: clean pumps that handle only clean water or low-solids fluid, and dirty pumps that handle the abrasive fracturing fluid with proppants. This segmentation allows clean pumps to maintain long service life while still achieving the required high-pressure pumping capability through coordinated operation of both pump types.
Solution Approach 2:
A fluid splitter or separator acts as an intermediary device that divides the incoming fracturing fluid into clean and dirty streams before they reach different pumps. This intermediary component protects the clean pumps from direct exposure to abrasive proppants while ensuring both streams are pumped to achieve the required injection pressure.
2Productivity
If multiple plunger pumps are employed simultaneously, then the required flow rate is achieved, but maintenance expenses increase due to frequent component replacement
Solution Approach 1:
The pumping system is segmented into clean and dirty pump groups, where clean pumps require minimal maintenance and dirty pumps are dedicated to handling abrasive fluids. This reduces overall maintenance expenses by preventing contamination of clean pump components while maintaining high flow rate capability through parallel operation of multiple pumps.
Solution Approach 2:
The system accepts that dirty pumps and their components will have shorter service lives due to abrasive exposure, but this is economically acceptable because clean pumps maintain long service lives. The overall system cost is reduced by optimizing the ratio of clean to dirty pumps and accepting replacement of only the dirty pump components.
3Duration of action of stationary object
If clean pumps are used to pump fracturing fluid, then pump lifespan is extended, but abrasive proppants cause rapid wear without protection
Solution Approach 1:
The harmful abrasive proppants are extracted from the clean pump stream through a fluid splitter or separator. The clean pumps exclusively handle clean water or low-solids fluid, completely removing the abrasive wear mechanism and extending pump lifespan indefinitely under normal operating conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
A fluid separator acts as an intermediary that completely separates the clean and dirty fluid streams, preventing abrasive proppants from ever contacting the clean pump components. This intermediary protection mechanism ensures clean pumps operate in a benign environment while still contributing to the high-pressure pumping function.
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 increases the useful life of clean pumps by protecting them from abrasive fluids, while the dirty pumps handle higher proppant concentrations, resulting in a longer overall system lifespan and reduced maintenance costs.
Implementation Method 1
Plunger pumps are typically employed for high pressure oilfield pumping applications, such as hydraulic fracturing operations. Such plunger pumps are sometimes also referred to as positive displacement pumps
Implementation Method 2
These pressure oscillations allow the pump to receive a fluid at a low pressure and discharge it at a high pressure via one way valves (also called check valves)
Data Source
AI summary
A method of pumping an oilfield fluid from a well surface to a wellbore is provided that includes providing a clean stream; operating one or more clean pumps to pump the clean stream from the well surface to the wellbore; providing a dirty stream including a solid material disposed in a fluid carrier; and operating one or more dirty pumps to pump the dirty stream from the well surface to the wellbore, wherein the clean stream and the dirty stream together form said oilfield fluid.