Well treatment methods and systems

A well treatment method comprising:

• drawing a solvent from a first liquid source to a first pump;
• drawing a wetting liquid from a second liquid source to a second pump separate from the first pump and pumping the wetting liquid through a polymer mixer using the second pump;
• supplying polymer from a polymer feeder to the polymer mixer and therein combining the wetting liquid and the polymer to produce a slurry containing undissolved polymer;
• increasing dissolution time of the polymer by providing a buffering agent in the wetting liquid before combining the wetting liquid and the polymer;
• combining the slurry with the solvent and, using the first pump, pumping the combined slurry and solvent to a gel reservoir;
• and
• dissolving the polymer to produce a gel and using the gel in a well treatment process.

A well treatment method comprising:

• using a suction pump, pumping a hydration liquid from a liquid source through a suction line to the suction pump and from the suction pump through a discharge line to a gel reservoir;
• using a boost pump separate from the suction pump, pumping a portion of the liquid from the suction pump suction line as a wetting liquid through a mix loop inlet line to the boost pump and from the boost pump through a mix loop outlet line back to the suction pump suction line;
• supplying polymer from a polymer feeder to a polymer mixer in the mix loop outlet line and therein mixing the wetting liquid and the polymer to produce a slurry containing unhydrated polymer;
• flowing the slurry through the mix loop outlet line into the hydration liquid in the suction pump suction line and, using the suction pump, pumping the combined slurry and hydration liquid to the gel reservoir;
• using a flow meter in the suction pump discharge line or in the suction pump suction line between the mix loop outlet line and the suction pump, determining a flow rate of the combined slurry and hydration liquid;
• using a process control device operably linked to the polymer feeder and suction pump, adjusting the polymer feed rate based on the flow rate or adjusting the flow rate based on the polymer feed rate;
• and
• hydrating the polymer to produce a gel and using the gel in a well treatment process.

A well treatment system comprising a polymer mixing subsystem including:

• a first pump, a feed line to the first pump, and a discharge line from the first pump;
• a mix loop including a second pump separate from the first pump, a mix loop inlet line to the second pump from the first pump feed line, and a mix loop outlet line from the second pump back to the first pump feed line, the mix loop outlet line including a polymer mixer;
• a polymer feeder configured to supply polymer to the polymer mixer;
• a flow meter in the first pump discharge line or in the first pump feed line between the mix loop outlet line and the first pump;
• and
• a process control device operably linking polymer feed rate provided by the polymer feeder and flow rate determined by the flow meter.