Micronized dry barite powder bulk movement

{
  "publication_number": "US10322871B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Micronized dry barite powder bulk movement",
  "abstract": "An apparatus includes a superstructure including cylindrical vessel with a conical bottom section and an opening near the base of the cone; an air assisted puffer device near the base of the cone; an air blower attached near the base of the cone, wherein the air blower is configured to produce air velocities of at least about 40 ft/min; a gently sweeping elbow attached after the blower exit; and a hatch fitted to the top of the vessel that allows for a funnel to be connected to the tank thereby allowing bulk barite powder to be loaded into the top of the tank from bulk bags. A barite powder blend including: a blend of barite particles with a size of about 1 micron and barite particles with a size of at least about 325 mesh, wherein the D50 of the blend is not greater than about 325 mesh.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A method of conveying bulk barite comprising: loading bulk barite into an apparatus, wherein the bulk barite comprises particles at least about 1 micron in size at D50 distribution up to about 6 microns in size at D50 distribution, said apparatus comprising a superstructure including: a cylindrical vessel with a conical bottom section and an opening near the base of the cone; an air assisted puffer device inside the cylindrical vessel near the base of the cone; an air blower with an inlet and an outlet, said air blower attached to the superstructure adjacent the opening of the cone, wherein the inlet of the air blower is in fluid communication with the opening near the base of the cone and the air blower is configured to produce air velocities of at least about 40 ft/min; a gently sweeping elbow in fluid communication with the blower outlet and attached downstream of the air blower outlet; and a hatch fitted to the top of the vessel thereby allowing bulk barite to be loaded into the top of the vessel from bulk bags; and conveying the bulk barite through the elbow.",
    "2. The method of claim 1, wherein the conical bottom has sides at an angle in the range of about 30 degrees to about 60 degrees to the horizontal.",
    "3. The method of claim 2, wherein the angle is about 50 degrees.",
    "4. The method of claim 1, wherein the blower air velocity is in the range of about 55 ft/min to about 95 ft/min.",
    "5. The method of claim 1, further comprising a diverter valve at the base of the vessel, configured to allow the blower to be operated to vent without loss or movement of barite powder if the vessel is being loaded, and diverting the blower while loading the vessel.",
    "6. The method of claim 1, further comprising a hose connection in an upper section of the vessel configured to allow for loading powder from another vessel of similar design, and loading powder from another vessel of similar design.",
    "7. The method of claim 1, wherein the gently sweeping elbow has an angle of about 15 degrees to about 90 degrees.",
    "8. The method of claim 1, further comprising a power system to operate the blower.",
    "9. The method of claim 1, further comprising a removable funnel shaped hopper, wherein the hatch fitted to the top of the vessel allows for the removable funnel shaped hopper to be connected to the vessel.",
    "10. The method of claim 1, wherein the bulk barite particles are a mixture of barite particles with a size of about 1 micron and a blend of small barite particles, wherein the D50 of the mixture is not greater than about 325 mesh.",
    "11. A well treatment system comprising: a well treatment apparatus comprising a superstructure including a conveying system, configured to pneumatically convey bulk barite including: a cylindrical vessel with a conical bottom section and an opening near the base of the cone; an air blower with an inlet and an outlet, said air blower attached to the superstructure adjacent the opening of the cone, wherein the inlet of the air blower is in fluid communication with the opening near the base of the cone and the air blower is configured to produce air velocities of at least about 40 ft/min; an air assisted puffer device inside the cylindrical vessel near the base of the cone; a gently sweeping elbow of about 15 degrees to about 90 degrees in fluid communication with the blower outlet and attached downstream of the air blower outlet; and a hatch fitted to the top of the vessel that allows for a removable funnel shaped hopper to be connected to the vessel thereby allowing bulk barite to be loaded into the top of the vessel from bulk bags, wherein the bulk barite comprises particles at least about 1 micron in size at D50 distribution up to about 6 microns in size at D50 distribution.",
    "12. An apparatus comprising a superstructure including: a cylindrical vessel with a conical bottom section and an opening near the base of the cone; an air assisted puffer device inside the cylindrical vessel near the base of the cone; an air blower with an inlet and an outlet, said air blower attached to the superstructure adjacent the opening of the cone, wherein the inlet of the air blower is in fluid communication with the opening near the base of the cone and the air blower is configured to produce air velocities of at least about 40 ft/min; a gently sweeping elbow in fluid communication with the blower outlet and attached downstream of the air blower outlet; a hatch fitted to the top of the vessel allowing bulk barite powder to be loaded into the top of the tank from bulk bags; and a removable funnel shaped hopper, wherein the hatch fitted to the top of the vessel allows for the removable funnel shaped hopper to be connected to the vessel."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "During the drilling and completion of oil and gas wells, various wellbore treating fluids are used for a number of purposes. For example, high viscosity gels are used to create fractures in oil and gas bearing formations to increase production. High viscosity and high density gels are also used to maintain positive hydrostatic pressure in the well while limiting flow of well fluids into earth formations during installation of completion equipment. High viscosity fluids are used to flow sand into wells during gravel packing operations. The high is viscosity fluids are normally produced by mixing dry powder and/or granular materials and agents with water at the well site as they are needed for the particular treatment systems for metering and mixing the various materials.\n\nIn order to prevent formation fluids from entering the wellbore, the hydrostatic pressure of the drilling fluid column in the wellbore should be greater than the pressure of the formation fluids. The hydrostatic pressure of the drilling fluid column is a function of the density of the drilling fluid and depth of the wellbore. Accordingly, density is an important property of the drilling fluid for preventing the undesirable flow of formation fluids into the wellbore. To provide increased density, weighting agents are commonly included in drilling fluids. Weighting agents are typically high-specific gravity, finely ground solid materials. As referred to herein, the term “high-specific gravity” refers to a material having a specific gravity of greater than about 2.6.",
  "cpc": [
    "B65D 88/72",
    "B65D 88/26",
    "B65D 88/28",
    "B65D 88/30",
    "B65D 88/54",
    "B65D 90/10",
    "B65G 65/32",
    "B65G 65/34",
    "C09K 8/032",
    "E21B 21/06",
    "E21B 43/25",
    "E21B 43/255"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B65D 88/30",
    "B65D 88/54",
    "B65D 88/72",
    "B65D 90/10",
    "E21B 21/06"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Halliburton Energy Services Inc"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Keith Allan Terry",
    "Brian Daniel O'Connell",
    "Julian Coward",
    "Rob Charles Valenziano"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2015-08-03",
  "publication_date": "2019-06-18",
  "grant_date": "2019-06-18",
  "priority_date": "2014-08-05",
  "application_number": "US-201515325705-A",
  "family_id": "55264398",
  "cited_by_count": 3,
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}