Apparatus and methods for separating sand from well fracturing return water
OwnerCooper Smartt, Billy Smarttinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Apparatus and methods for removing sand or other particulate from well fracturing return water are disclosed. In a sand separator box, a barrier element divides the tank into an upper compartment and a lower compartment. Particulate-laden return water flows through a gas separator and then into the upper compartment of the box. The barrier element allows the water in the upper compartment to pass into the lower compartment while keeping the sand or particulate in the upper compartment. As water accumulates in the lower compartment, it is pumped out to storage tanks or back to the well for reuse.
Claims10
Well equipment, comprising:
- a return pipeline connecting a well head to a gas separator above a sand separator box;
- a transfer pipeline connecting the sand separator box to one or more frac tanks;
- a pump pipeline connecting one or more of the frac tanks to a reverse pump;
- and
- a reverse pipeline connecting the reverse pump to the well head;
- with the sand separator box including a tank and a filter fixed in place in the tank and dividing the tank into an upper compartment and a lower compartment, with the filter allowing water to pass from the upper compartment into the lower compartment, while keeping sand in the upper compartment.
Well equipment, comprising:
- a return pipeline connecting a well head to a gas separator above a sand separator box;
- a transfer pipeline connecting the sand separator box to one or more frac tanks;
- a pump pipeline connecting one or more of the frac tanks to a reverse pump;
- and
- a reverse pipeline connecting the reverse pump to the well head;
- with the sand separator box including a tank and a filter dividing the tank into an upper compartment and a lower compartment, the gas separator having one or more outlets above the upper compartment of the tank.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.