Upstream Chemical Dosing for Fracking Pads With Less Site Footprint
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current drag reduction testing procedures require large stationary equipment and do not accurately predict drag reduction on a larger scale, failing to account for field conditions, and result in crowded work sites due to numerous trucks and tanks at fracking pads.
Innovation Solution
A portable apparatus for analyzing drag reduction that can be easily transported and deployed for on-site testing, combined with an analytical model to upscale small-scale data for field applications, reducing the need for on-site equipment and optimizing fluid mixtures for improved oil and gas production.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If large stationary equipment is used for drag reduction testing, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and site footprint increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical testing equipment with a portable apparatus that uses electromagnetic flow measurement and pressure sensors to determine drag reduction. The system substitutes elaborate mechanical flow loops with a streamlined design that uses a pump, flow meter, and pressure transducers to achieve accurate drag reduction measurements without requiring large stationary equipment
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a simplified portable model that replicates the essential functionality of large drag reduction testing equipment. The portable apparatus copies the core measurement principles (pressure differential and flow rate measurement) in a compact form, allowing field testing without needing to replicate full-scale laboratory equipment
2Device complexity
If laboratory or small-scale flow loop testing is performed, then device complexity is reduced, but measurement precision for field conditions deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs parameter changes by allowing the portable apparatus to operate across a wide range of flow rates and pressures that can be adjusted to simulate different field conditions. The system can vary pump speed, pipe diameter, and fluid properties to match actual field parameters, enabling small-scale equipment to predict full-scale performance accurately
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary testing with the portable apparatus using scaled-down parameters, then applies correction factors and empirical relationships to predict full-scale field performance. This preliminary action allows accurate field condition prediction without needing to build full-scale testing equipment
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple chemical tanks and trucks are positioned at the pad, then chemical dosing flexibility is improved, but site footprint and operational safety worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs chemical dosing in advance before produced water is pumped to the pad, eliminating the need to store and handle multiple chemical tanks and trucks at the congested site. This preliminary action maintains dosing flexibility while improving safety by removing hazardous materials from the pad environment
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the chemical dosing operation from the pad location and performs it upstream at a remote location. This removes the safety hazards associated with having multiple chemical tanks and trucks at the pad while preserving the ability to dose chemicals as needed
4Area of stationary object
If chemical dosing is performed upstream before water transfer, then site footprint is reduced, but dosing equipment portability and field deployment capability are challenged
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical dosing equipment with a simplified system that uses metering pumps and inline mixing. This substitution enables portable chemical dosing capability that can be easily deployed in the field without requiring heavy or complex equipment, thereby reducing pad footprint while maintaining ease of operation
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
The portable apparatus allows for efficient on-site drag reduction analysis and accurate upscaling of test results, minimizing equipment footprint and enhancing fracking operations by predicting and optimizing fluid mixtures for improved efficiency and safety.
Implementation Method 1
measuring a pressure differential of the fluid mixture between an inlet and an outlet
Implementation Method 2
a pump to deliver the fluid mixture from the inlet through the pipe to the outlet of the pipe
Data Source
AI summary
Processes for adding a chemical composition to a produced water mixture upstream of a pad related to a well to be fracked are described. The added chemical composition comprises a drag reducing agent, or a biocide, or a scale inhibitor, or any combination thereof. The produced water mixture comprising the added chemical composition may then be transferred in a pipeline to the well to be fracked.