# US 10,370,829 B2 · Articles comprising a surface spreading agent, oilfield water storage systems employing the same, and methods of managing the oilfield water storage systems > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,370,829 B2 - Document ID: US10370829B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/344,709 - Filed: 2016-11-07 - Published: 2017-05-11 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2015-11-05 - Applicants: Timothy Al Andrzejak; Jorge E Lopez De Cardenas; Daniel B O'Brien - Inventors: Timothy Al Andrzejak; Jorge E Lopez De Cardenas; Daniel B O'Brien - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10370829B2 ## CPC - E03B 1/02: for public or like main supply {for industrial use} - E21B 21/01: Arrangements for handling drilling fluids or cuttings outside the borehole, e.g. mud boxes - Y02W 10/37: using solar energy - E03B: INSTALLATIONS OR METHODS FOR OBTAINING, COLLECTING, OR DISTRIBUTING WATER (drilling wells, obtaining fluids in general from wells E21B; pipe-line systems in general F17D) - E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS - Y02W: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO WASTEWATER TREATMENT OR WASTE MANAGEMENT ## Abstract Articles including a surface spreading agent, oilfield water storage systems that employ the articles, and methods of managing an oilfield water storage system are provided herein. In an embodiment, an article includes a film-forming composition and a densifying agent. The film-forming composition includes a surface spreading agent present in an amount of at least 5 weight %, based on the total weight of the film-forming composition. The densifying agent has a higher density than water and the surface spreading agent. The film-forming composition is packaged in an impervious material. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An article comprising: a film-forming composition comprising: a surface spreading agent present in an amount of at least 5 weight percent, based on a total weight of the film-forming composition; a densifying agent having a higher density than water and the surface spreading agent, wherein the densifying agent is chosen from silica sand, slag sand, pea gravel, metal powders, or a combination thereof; and a dissolution agent chosen from calcium hydroxide, hydrated lime, or a combination thereof; wherein the film-forming composition includes a sufficient amount of the densifying agent to render the film-forming composition denser than water; and wherein the film-forming composition is packaged in a water-soluble impervious material. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The article of claim 1, wherein the impervious material provides ultraviolet protection to the film-forming composition. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The article of claim 1, wherein the impervious material is a polyvinyl alcohol-containing composition. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The article of claim 1, wherein the surface spreading agent is chosen from an aliphatic alcohol having from 12 to 24 carbon atoms; polydiorganosiloxanes; polyoxyethylene ether; or a combination, thereof. ### Claim 5 An oilfield water storage system comprising: a water storage pond having a surface; a unit adapted to receive an article comprising a film-forming composition, wherein the film-forming composition is packaged in a water-soluble impervious material, wherein the film-forming composition comprises: a surface spreading agent present in an amount of at least 5 weight percent, based on a total weight of the film-forming composition; a densifying agent having a higher density than water and the surface spreading agent, wherein the densifying agent is chosen from silica sand, slag sand, pea gravel, metal powders, or a combination thereof; and a dissolution agent chosen from calcium hydroxide, hydrated lime, or a combination thereof; wherein the film-forming composition includes a sufficient amount of the densifying agent to render the film-forming composition denser than water; wherein the unit is further adapted to distribute the film-forming composition into the water storage pond by introducing the article including the water-soluble impervious material into the water storage pond whereby the water-soluble impervious material subsequently dissolves to release the film-forming composition into the water storage pond; and a water outlet pipe in fluid communication with the water storage pond below the surface of the water storage pond. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The oilfield water storage system of claim 5, wherein the water storage pond is an open-air water storage pond. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The oilfield water storage system of claim 5, further comprising a mechanical agitator adapted to agitate the surface of the water storage pond. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The oilfield water storage system of claim 7, further comprising a barrier forming an at least semi-enclosed barrier area in the water storage pond, with the mechanical agitator positioned therein. ### Claim 9 (depends on 5) The oilfield water storage system of claim 5, further comprising a controller and a dispersing module, wherein the controller is configured to add the film-forming composition from the dispersing module upon detecting a pre-determined trigger event. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The oilfield water storage system of claim 9, further comprising a detector, and wherein the detector is configured to provide a signal corresponding to the pre-determined trigger event. ### Claim 11 (depends on 5) The oilfield water storage system of claim 5, further comprising a controller and a dispersing module, wherein the controller is configured to add the film-forming composition from the dispersing module at time intervals. ### Claim 12 (depends on 5) The oilfield water storage system of claim 5, further comprising a hydraulic fracturing pump adapted to receive and pressurize water from the water outlet pipe for delivery to a well head and down into a well. ### Claim 13 A method of managing an oilfield water storage system, wherein the method comprises: applying a film-forming composition from an article comprising the film-forming composition packaged in a water-soluble impervious material to a water storage pond of the oilfield water storage system, wherein the film-forming composition comprises: a surface spreading agent present in an amount of at least 5 weight percent, based on a total weight of the film-forming composition; a densifying agent having a higher density than water and the surface spreading agent, wherein the densifying agent is chosen from silica sand, slag sand, pea gravel, metal powders or a combination thereof; and a dissolution agent chosen from calcium hydroxide, hydrated lime, or a combination thereof; wherein the film-forming composition includes a sufficient amount of the densifying agent to render the film-forming composition denser than water, and wherein applying the film-forming composition comprises introducing the article including the water-soluble impervious material into the water storage pond.