# US 11,905,811 B2 · Fluid conduit connector system

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- Number: US 11,905,811 B2
- Document ID: US11905811B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/080,415
- Filed: 2022-12-13
- Published: 2023-04-13
- Granted: 2024-02-20
- Earliest claimed: 2020-07-07
- Assignees: Safoco, Inc.
- Applicants: Safoco, Inc.
- Inventors: David Lymberopoulos; Andrew Allen Kadavy; Peter Lanh Ly
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11905811B2

## CPC

- E21B 43/2607: {Surface equipment specially adapted for fracturing operations}
- F16K 27/003: {Housing formed from a plurality of the same valve elements}
- E21B 33/068: having provision for introducing objects or fluids into, or removing objects from, wells (cementing-heads E21B33/05)
- E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
- F16K: VALVES; TAPS; COCKS; ACTUATING-FLOATS; DEVICES FOR VENTING OR AERATING {(devices for emptying and evacuating the excess liquid in valves or conduits F16L55/07)}

## Abstract

A fluid conduit system includes a trunk line and a manifold header coupled to the trunk line. The manifold header has a first bore in fluid communication with the trunk line and a second bore intersecting the first bore. A first manifold valve is coupled to the manifold header. A second manifold valve is coupled to the first manifold valve. A fracture header is coupled to the second manifold valve. A plurality of connection rods is coupled to the manifold header and to the fracture header. Each connection rod extends through a corresponding hole in the first manifold valve and a corresponding hole in the second manifold valve.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A fluid conduit system, comprising:
a trunk line;
a manifold header coupled to the trunk line;
a first manifold valve coupled to and positioned above the manifold header;
a second manifold valve coupled to and positioned above the first manifold valve;
a fracture header coupled to and positioned above the second manifold valve;
a plurality of first connection rods that extends through the manifold header, the first manifold valve, and the second manifold valve and terminate into the fracture header, and
wherein the fracture header comprises a unitary body comprising a plurality of lateral and longitudinal bores; and
a first fracture valve coupled to and positioned below the fracture header in a position offset from the manifold header, the first manifold valve, and the second manifold valve.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The fluid conduit system of claim 1, wherein each first connection rod comprises a thread portion that threads into the fracture header.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The fluid conduit system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of lateral bores intersect at least one of the plurality of longitudinal bores.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The fluid conduit system of claim 1, further comprising:
a swab valve coupled to the fracture header; and
a plurality of second connection rods that extends through the swab valve and terminate into the fracture header.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The fluid conduit system of claim 4, further comprising:
a second fracture valve coupled to and positioned below the first fracture valve; and
a plurality of third connection rods that extends through the first fracture valve and the second fracture valve, and terminate into the fracture header.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The fluid conduit system of claim 5, further comprising:
a flow spool disposed between the fracture header and the first fracture valve, wherein the plurality of third connection rods extends through the flow spool.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The fluid conduit system of claim 1, further comprising:
a second fracture valve coupled to and positioned below the first fracture valve; and
a plurality of second connection rods that extends through the first fracture valve and the second fracture valve, and terminate into the fracture header.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The fluid conduit system of claim 7, further comprising:
a flow spool disposed between the fracture header and the first fracture valve, wherein the plurality of second connection rods extends through the flow spool.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The fluid conduit system of claim 1, further comprising:
a second fracture valve;
a flow spool;
a third fracture valve; and
a plurality of second connection rods that extend through the first fracture valve, the second fracture valve, and the flow spool and terminate into the third fracture valve, wherein the third fracture valve is coupled to the fracture header by a flange.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The fluid conduit system of claim 9, wherein the flow spool has a flow spool throughbore and a side outlet.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The fluid conduit system of claim 10, wherein the flow spool throughbore is substantially aligned with a throughbore of the first fracture valve and a throughbore of the second fracture valve.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The fluid conduit system of claim 1, wherein the manifold header comprises a first bore in fluid communication with the trunk line, and a second bore intersecting the first bore.

### Claim 13

A method of performing a well treatment operation, comprising:
coupling a fluid conduit connector system to a well, wherein the fluid conduit connector system comprises:
a manifold header;
a manifold valve coupled to and positioned above the manifold header;
a fracture header coupled to and positioned above the manifold valve;
a swab valve coupled to the fracture header;
a flow spool coupled to the fracture header;
a first fracture valve coupled to and positioned below the fracture header in a position offset from the manifold header and the manifold valve;
a second fracture valve coupled to and positioned below the first fracture valve;
a first plurality of connection rods; and
a second plurality of connection rods, wherein the fracture header is disposed between the swab valve and the flow spool, wherein the flow spool is disposed between the fracture header and the first fracture valve, wherein the first fracture valve is disposed between the flow spool and the second fracture valve, wherein the first plurality of connection rods extends through the second fracture valve, the first fracture valve, and the flow spool and terminate into the fracture header, and wherein the second plurality of connection rods extends through the swab valve and terminate into the fracture header;
flowing a treatment fluid through the fluid conduit connector system and into the well; and
flowing a production fluid through the fluid conduit connector system out of the well.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein the fluid conduit connector system is coupled to the well by an adaptor flange.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein flowing the treatment fluid through the fluid conduit connector system and into the well comprises flowing the treatment fluid through the fracture header, the flow spool, the first fracture valve, and the second fracture valve while the swab valve is closed.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein flowing the production fluid through the fluid conduit connector system out of the well comprises flowing the production fluid through the second fracture valve, the first fracture valve, the flow spool, and a side outlet of the flow spool while the swab valve is closed.

### Claim 17

A method of performing a well treatment operation, comprising:
assembling a fluid conduit connector system, wherein the fluid conduit connector system comprises:
a manifold header;
a first manifold valve coupled to the manifold header;
a second manifold valve coupled to the first manifold valve;
a fracture header coupled to the second manifold valve, wherein the fracture header comprises:
a first fluid conduit connector; and
a second fluid conduit connector coupled to the first fluid conduit connector; and
a first fracture valve coupled to and positioned below the fracture header in a position offset from the manifold header, the first manifold valve, and the second manifold valve;
wherein assembling the fluid conduit connector system comprises coupling the manifold header and the fracture header together by inserting a plurality of first connection rods through the manifold header, the first manifold valve, and the second manifold valve and terminate into the fracture header;
wherein assembly the fluid conduit connector system further comprises coupling the first fluid conduit connector and the second fluid conduit connector together by inserting a plurality of second connection rods extending through the first fluid conduit connector and the second fluid conduit connector;
coupling the assembled fluid conduit connector system to a well; and
flowing a treatment fluid through the assembled fluid conduit connector system and into the well.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, wherein the assembled fluid conduit connector system is coupled to the well by an adaptor flange that is coupled to and positioned below the first fracture valve.

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, wherein flowing the treatment fluid through the assembled fluid conduit connector system and into the well comprises flowing the treatment fluid through the manifold header, the first manifold valve, the second manifold valve, and the fracture header.

### Claim 20 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, wherein:
the assembled fluid conduit system further comprises a flow spool, a second fracture valve, and a third plurality of connection rods that extends through the flow spool, the first fracture valve, and the second fracture valve and terminate into the fracture header; and
further comprising flowing a production fluid out of the well through the second fracture valve, the first fracture valve, the flow spool, and a side outlet of the flow spool.
