Gel hydration tank and method
AssigneeHalliburton Energy Services, Inc.
InventorsRonnie G. Morgan, Johnny W. Johnson, Rickey L. Morgan, James A. McGough, Michael R. Spaulding
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a gel hydration tank and method for hydrating gels for use in oil well treatment operations according to which a mixture of water and gel is introduced into the interior of the tank and flows through the tank before being discharged from the tank, whereby specific devices are used to deflect and/or re-direct fluid flow so as to increase the distance traveled for a given fluid volume element, which consequently increases the plug flow efficiency of the tank.
Claims20
A hydration method comprising:
- defining an internal chamber within a set of wells;
- introducing fluid into the chamber;
- providing at least one weir extending from one of the walls and partially across the chamber towards an opposite wall;
- spacing a surface of the weir from the opposite wall and defining, with the opposite wall, a first space for fluid flow between the weir and the opposite wall that varies along a dimension of the chamber;
- providing at least one additional weir extending from the opposite wall and partially across the chamber towards the one wall,
- spacing a surface of the additional weir from the one wall and defining, with the one wall, a second space for fluid flow between the additional weir and the one wall that varies along another dimension of the chamber;
- so that the fluid flow from the inlet and through the spaces;
- and
- then discharging the fluid from the chamber.
A hydration tank comprising:
- a set of walls defining a internal chamber;
- an inlet in fluid communication with the chamber for introducing fluid into the chamber;
- an outlet in fluid communication with the chamber for discharging the fluid from the chamber;
- at least one weir extending from one of the walls and partially across the chamber towards an apposite wall, a surface of the weir being spaced from the opposite wall and defining, with the opposite wall, a first space for fluid flow between the weir and the opposite wall that varies along a dimension of the chamber;
- and
- at least one additional weir extending from the opposite wall and partially across the chamber towards the one wall, a surface of the additional weir being spaced from the one wall and defining, with the one wall, a second space for fluid flow between the additional weir and the one wall that varies along another dimension of the chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.