Well Material Distribution Systems and Methods

A well material distribution method, comprising:

• obtaining at least one material-containing sack containing at least one well material;
• placing the at least one material-containing sack on a lift platform of a sack lifting platform assembly extending to an automatic sack cutting machine on an elevated rig deck of a rig platform, the automatic sack cutting machine configured to perform a slitting, emptying and feeding sequence on the at least one material-containing sack and discharge the at least one material-containing sack when emptied into a waste receptacle;
• raising the at least one material-containing sack on the lift platform to the automatic sack cutting machine;
• sliding the at least one material-containing sack from the lift platform onto the automatic sack cutting machine;
• opening the at least one material-containing sack and dispensing the at least one well material by operation of the automatic sack cutting machine;
• and
• distributing the at least one well material from the automatic sack cutting machine along an uninclined material transfer path having an angle of between 0 degrees and 90 degrees downwardly with respect to a horizontal axis directly into a mixing vessel configured to simultaneously handle a plurality of well materials.

A well material distribution system, comprising:

• an elevated automatic sack cutting machine support frame;
• an access scaffold on the elevated automatic sack cutting machine support frame, the access scaffold configured to provide an operator access to the automated sack cutting machine;
• a sack lifting platform assembly adjacent to the elevated automatic sack cutting machine support frame, the sack lifting platform assembly having a lift platform deployable between lowered and raised positions;
• an elevated automatic sack cutting machine disposed adjacent to the lift platform in the raised position of the lift platform on the sack lifting platform assembly, the automatic sack cutting machine configured to slidably receive and open at least one material-containing sack and dispense at least one well material from the at least one material-containing sack, the automatic sack cutting machine configured to perform a slitting, emptying and feeding sequence on the at least one material-containing sack and discharge the at least one material-containing sack when emptied into a waste receptacle;
• and
• at least one mixing vessel disposed in direct communication with the automatic sack cutting machine, the at least one mixing vessel configured to simultaneously handle a plurality of well materials and receive the at least one well material directly from the automatic sack cutting machine.