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US 2010/0059226 A1Published application
Method of Delivering Frac Fluid and Additives
AssigneeTetra Technologies, Inc.
InventorsEnrico J. Termine, Robert I. Richie
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for the controlled delivery of a fracturing fluid to a well bore comprises formulating an aqueous base fluid such that it meets or exhibits desired physical and chemical characteristics for an optimal fracturing fluid. The formulation of the aqueous base fluid max involve commingling one or more sources of waste water with a source of fresh water followed by controlled injection of one or more additives. This process is substantially completed prior to delivering the aqueous base fluid to the well site. This allows the delivery of an optimal volume of the aqueous base fluid with homogeneously blended additives to the well bore.
Claims30
A method for controlled delivery of a fracturing fluid to a well bore comprising:
- determining one or more available sources of an aqueous base fluid for the fracturing fluid;
- testing one or more samples of each source to determine its physical and chemical characteristics;
- comparing physical and chemical characteristic data of each source to predetermined physical and chemical characteristic data for an optimal fracturing fluid to identify suitability of the source for a fracturing operation;
- selecting the source of aqueous base fluid that compares favorably to the optimal fracturing fluid for delivery to the fracturing operation;
- transporting the aqueous base fluid to one or more fracturing fluid tanks;
- testing one or more samples of the aqueous base fluid in-line during delivery to the fracturing fluid tanks and comparing the physical and chemical characteristic data to the predetermined physical and chemical characteristic data for the optimal fracturing fluid;
- continuously introducing in a controlled manner one or more additives, in the event of a failed comparison, into the aqueous base fluid until it achieves the predetermined physical and chemical characteristics;
- blending the additives into the aqueous base fluid until they are homogeneously dispersed;
- transporting the aqueous base fluid blend from the fracturing fluid tanks to the well site;
- utilizing the aqueous base fluid blend to formulate the fracturing fluid at the well site;
- and
- pumping an optimal volume of the fracturing fluid at high flow rates to the well bore for fracturing surrounding subterranean formations,
- wherein the optimal volume of the fracturing fluid further comprising an optimal concentration of homogeneously dispersed additives.
10 more elements
A method for controlled delivery of a fracturing fluid to a well bore comprising:
- determining one or more available sources of an aqueous base fluid for the fracturing fluid;
- testing one or more samples of each source to determine its physical and chemical characteristics;
- comparing physical and chemical characteristic data of each of the sources individually to predetermined physical and chemical characteristic data for an optimal fracturing fluid to identify suitability of the source for a fracturing operation;
- commingling the aqueous base fluid from two or more of the sources, in the event the individual sources fail comparison;
- transporting the commingled aqueous base fluid to a first set of fracturing fluid tanks in the event the commingled aqueous base fluid is identified as suitable for the fracturing operation;
- testing one or more samples of the commingled aqueous base fluid in-line during transportation to the first set of fracturing fluid tanks to determine its physical and chemical characteristics;
- comparing its physical and chemical characteristic data to the predetermined physical and chemical characteristic data for the optimal fracturing fluid;
- continuously introducing one or more additives, in the event of a failed comparison, into the commingled aqueous base fluid;
- blending the one or more additives into the commingled aqueous base fluid until it is homogeneously dispersed;
- delivering the commingled aqueous base fluid blend to a second set of fracturing fluid tanks when the commingled aqueous base fluid blend achieves the predetermined physical and chemical characteristics;
- monitoring and testing one or more samples of the commingled aqueous base fluid blend in-line during delivery to the second set of fracturing fluid tanks;
- continuously adjusting the physical and chemical characteristics of the commingled aqueous base fluid blend by introducing additives in-line and/or at the second set of fracturing fluid tanks in a controlled manner;
- and
- transporting an optimal volume of the commingled aqueous base fluid blend to the well site when it achieves the predetermined physical and chemical characteristics,
- wherein the optimal volume of the commingled aqueous base fluid blend further comprises an optimal concentration of the additives.
12 more elements
A method for controlled delivery of a fracturing fluid to a well bore comprising:
- determining one or more available sources of an aqueous base fluid for the fracturing fluid;
- testing one or more samples of each source to determine its physical and chemical characteristics, the one or more samples collected at one or more sampling ports;
- comparing physical and chemical characteristic data of each of the sources individually to predetermined physical and chemical characteristic data for an optimal fracturing fluid to identify suitability of the source for a fracturing operation;
- commingling the aqueous base fluid from two or more of the sources, in the event the individual sources fail comparison;
- transporting the commingled aqueous base fluid to a first set of fracturing fluid tanks in the event the commingled aqueous base fluid is identified as suitable for the fracturing operation;
- testing one or more samples of the commingled aqueous base fluid in-line during transportation to the first set of fracturing fluid tanks to determine its physical and chemical characteristics;
- comparing its physical and chemical characteristic data to the predetermined physical and chemical characteristic data for the optimal fracturing fluid;
- continuously introducing one or more additives in a controlled manner, in the event of a failed comparison, into the commingled aqueous base fluid, wherein the additives further comprise a bromine biocide;
- blending the bromine biocide into the commingled aqueous base fluid until it is homogeneously dispersed;
- delivering the commingled aqueous base fluid blend to a second set of fracturing fluid tanks when the commingled aqueous base fluid blend achieves the predetermined physical and chemical characteristics;
- monitoring and testing one or more samples of the commingled aqueous base fluid blend in-line during delivery to the second set of fracturing fluid tanks;
- continuously adjusting the physical and chemical characteristics of the commingled aqueous base fluid blend by introducing additives in-line and/or at the second set of fracturing fluid tanks;
- transporting the commingled aqueous base fluid blend to the well site when the commingled aqueous base fluid blend achieves the predetermined physical and chemical characteristics;
- testing one or more samples of the commingled aqueous base fluid blend at the well site to determine its physical and chemical characteristics;
- introducing one or more additives and/or one or more proppants to an optimal volume of the commingled aqueous base fluid blend to achieve the predetermined physical and chemical characteristics;
- blending the additives and/or proppants in the commingled aqueous base fluid to formulate the fracturing fluid;
- introducing an optimal volume of the fracturing fluid at high pressure and flow rates into the well bore to fracture subterranean formations surrounding the well bore, the optimal volume of the fracturing fluid further comprising an optimal concentration of the homogeneously dispersed additives;
- and
- testing one or more samples of flowback fluids at the conclusion of the fracturing operation to identify residual traces of the bromine biocide.
16 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.