Apparatus and method of delivering a fluid using direct proppant injection

An apparatus for delivering a fluid mixture comprising:

• a proppant storage vessel configured to contain therein a proppant material and output a proppant output flow at ambient pressure;
• a solid feed pump assembly coupled to the proppant storage vessel, the solid feed pump assembly including a proppant inlet in fluidic communication with the proppant storage vessel proppant output flow, the solid feed pump assembly configured to output a proppant output flow at a discharge pressure, wherein the discharge pressure is greater than the ambient pressure, wherein the solid feed pump assembly is one of a solid feed pump assembly set forth by the Posimetric® standard, an eductor pump assembly or a rotary positive displacement pump assembly;
• a fracturing fluid storage vessel configured to contain therein a fracturing fluid and output a fracturing fluid output flow at a fracture fluid blending pressure, wherein the fracture fluid blending pressure is greater than the ambient pressure;
• a mixing apparatus coupled to the solid feed pump assembly, the mixing apparatus including a proppant inlet in fluidic communication with the solid feed pump assembly proppant output flow and a fracturing fluid inlet in fluidic communication with the fracturing fluid output flow, the mixing apparatus configured to mix the proppant output flow and the fracturing fluid output flow therein and output a fluid mixture of proppant and fracturing fluid, wherein the fracturing fluid is at the fracture fluid blending pressure;
• and
• a pump assembly coupled to the mixing chamber and configured to deliver the fluid mixture therein to a downstream component at an injection pressure, wherein the injection pressure is greater than the fracture fluid blending pressure.

An apparatus for delivering a fluid mixture comprising:

• a proppant storage vessel configured to output a proppant output flow at ambient pressure;
• a solid feed pump in fluidic communication with the proppant storage vessel, the solid feed pump assembly configured to output a proppant output flow at a discharge pressure, wherein the discharge pressure is greater than the ambient pressure;
• a fracturing fluid storage vessel configured to contain therein a fracturing fluid at a fracture fluid blending pressure, wherein the fracture fluid blending pressure is greater than the ambient pressure;
• a mixing apparatus coupled to the solid feed pump assembly and the fracturing fluid storage vessel, the mixing apparatus configured to output a fluid mixture of proppant and fracturing fluid, wherein the fracturing fluid is at the fracture fluid blending pressure;
• and
• a pump assembly coupled to the mixing chamber and configured to output a fluid mixture to a downstream component at an injection pressure, wherein the injection pressure is greater than the fracture fluid blending pressure.

A method of delivering a fluid mixture, comprising:

• providing an input of a proppant material at ambient pressure to a proppant storage vessel, the proppant storage vessel configured to output a proppant output flow at ambient pressure;
• providing an input of a fracture fluid at a fracture fluid blending pressure to a fracture fluid storage vessel, the fracture fluid storage vessel configured to output a fracture fluid output flow at the a fracture fluid blending pressure;
• inputting the proppant output flow at ambient pressure from the proppant storage vessel into a solid feed pump assembly wherein the pressure of the proppant output flow is increased to a discharge pressure;
• inputting the proppant output flow at the discharge pressure and a fracture fluid output flow at the fracture fluid blending pressure into a mixing apparatus;
• mixing the proppant output flow and the fracturing fluid output flow therein the mixing apparatus and outputting a fluid mixture of proppant and fracturing fluid, wherein the fracturing fluid is at the fracture fluid blending pressure;
• increasing the pressure of the output fluid mixture in a pump to output an increased pressure fluid mixture;
• and
• delivering the increased pressure fluid mixture to one or more downstream components.