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Patent · US12173569B2 · B2 · US

Continuous recirculation for separation of fluids produced during drill out and flow back

(11) Publication number
US12173569B2
(21) Application number
18/785,174
(22) Filing date
2024-07-26
(30) Priority date
2018-10-01
(43) Publication date
2024-12-24
(45) Date of grant
2024-12-24
(51) IPC
B01D 19/00; B01D 21/00; B01D 21/02; B01D 45/16; B01D 47/10; B01D 50/40; B03B 9/02; B65G 33/24; C10G 7/04; E21B 21/06
(52) CPC
  • E21B Earth or rock drilling; obtaining oil, gas, water, soluble or meltable materials or a slurry of minerals from wells: 21/065, 21/067, 43/2607, 43/34, 43/35
  • B01D Separation: 19/0068, 21/003, 21/10, 21/2461, 21/2472, 21/2488, 21/2494, 2221/04, 2221/08, 45/16, 47/10, 50/40
  • B03B Separating solid materials using liquids or using pneumatic tables or jigs: 9/02
  • B65G Transport or storage devices, e.g. conveyors for loading or tipping, shop conveyor systems or pneumatic tube conveyors: 33/24
  • C10G Cracking hydrocarbon oils; production of liquid hydrocarbon mixtures, e.g. by destructive hydrogenation, oligomerisation, polymerisation; recovery of hydrocarbon oils from oil-shale, oil-sand, or gases; refining mixtures mainly consisting of hydrocarbons; reforming of naphtha; mineral waxes: 7/04
(73) Assignee
Cp Energy Services Inc
(72) Inventors
Tracy Turner; Dennis Ray Poulson
(54) Title
Continuous recirculation for separation of fluids produced during drill out and flow back
(57) Abstract

One or two continuous recirculation loops are utilized for the well-site equipment that separates produced fluids into sand, liquid, and gas during drill out and flow back that occurs after fracturing a subterranean formation. When one recirculation loop is utilized, the recirculation loop continuously recirculates fluid between the recirculation chamber of the disclosed sand removal apparatus and a shaker device. When two recirculation loops are utilized, the first recirculation loop continuously recirculates fluid between a recirculation chamber of the disclosed sand removal apparatus and a shaker device, and the second recirculation loop continuously recirculates fluid between the recirculation chamber and a gas separator.

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Claims (20)

  1. A process comprising: receiving a sand removal feed comprising sand and water into a first mixture contained in a hopper; flowing a first portion of the first mixture from the hopper to a diffuser; flowing a second portion of the first mixture from the hopper into a second mixture comprising sand and water that is contained in a recirculation chamber; flowing a first portion of the second mixture from the recirculation chamber to the diffuser; flowing a second portion of the second mixture to a gas separator; flowing a diffuser mixture comprising the first portion of the first mixture and the first portion of the second mixture from the diffuser to a shaker device; and flowing a shaker recycle liquid from the shaker device to the hopper.
  2. The process of claim 1, further comprising: flowing a third portion of the second mixture to a third mixture in a tank; and flowing a portion of the third mixture from the tank to a pit or to a fracturing fluid container.
  3. The process of claim 1, wherein the hopper, the recirculation chamber, the diffuser, and the shaker device are connected to a mobile structure.
  4. The process of claim 1, wherein flowing the first portion of the first mixture from the hopper to the diffuser and flowing the first portion of the second mixture from the recirculation chamber to the diffuser comprises: combining the first portion of the first mixture and the first portion of the second mixture to form a combined mixture; and pumping the combined mixture to the diffuser.
  5. The process of claim 1, wherein the diffuser is located at least partially above the shaker device, wherein the shaker device is located at least partially above the hopper.
  6. The process of claim 1, further comprising: shaking sand away from the shaker device to a location that is not above the hopper.
  7. The process of claim 1, wherein the sand removal feed is continuously received from the gas separator.
  8. The process of claim 1, wherein a concentration of sand in the first mixture is greater than a concentration of sand in the second mixture.
  9. A system comprising: a hopper having an interior configured to contain a first mixture comprising sand and water, wherein the hopper has a hopper bottom outlet positioned on a bottom portion of the hopper; a recirculation chamber having an interior configured to contain a second mixture comprising sand and water, a first outlet positioned on a bottom portion of the recirculation chamber, and a second outlet positioned on the bottom portion of the recirculation chamber; a diffuser having a diffuser inlet fluidly coupled to the hopper bottom outlet of the hopper and to the first outlet of the recirculation chamber, wherein the diffuser has a diffuser outlet; and a shaker device positioned at least partially below the diffuser and at least partially above the hopper.
  10. The system of claim 9, further comprising a first continuous recirculation loop comprising: i) a first fluid path formed between the hopper and the recirculation chamber; ii) a second fluid path formed between the hopper and the diffuser; iii) a third fluid path formed between the recirculation chamber and the diffuser; iv) a fourth fluid path formed between the diffuser and the shaker device; and v) a fifth fluid path formed between the shaker device and the hopper.
  11. The system of claim 10, further comprising: a gas separator that receives a stream comprising sand, liquid, and gas and separates the gas from the sand and the liquid, wherein the gas separator has a slurry outlet fluidly coupled to the second outlet of the recirculation chamber and to a top opening of the hopper.
  12. The system of claim 11, further comprising a second continuous recirculation loop comprising: i) a sixth fluid path formed between the recirculation chamber and the gas separator; ii) a seventh fluid path formed between the gas separator and the hopper; and iii) the first fluid path formed between the hopper and the recirculation chamber.
  13. The system of claim 10, further comprising: a pump having an inlet fluidly connected to the first outlet of the recirculation chamber and to the hopper bottom outlet, wherein the pump receives a first portion of the first mixture from the hopper and a first portion of the second mixture from the recirculation chamber, wherein the pump flows a combined mixture comprising the first portion of the first mixture and the first portion of the second mixture to an inlet of the diffuser.
  14. The system of claim 13, wherein the inlet of the diffuser is positioned on a bottom of the diffuser.
  15. The system of claim 9, further comprising: a tank fluidly connected to the recirculation chamber, wherein the tank receives a second portion of the second mixture from the recirculation chamber into a third mixture that is contained in the tank, wherein a liquid obtained from the third mixture flows from the tank to a pit or to a fracturing fluid container.
  16. The system of claim 9, wherein the first outlet of the recirculation chamber is positioned at a height above ground that is less than a height above ground at which the second outlet of the recirculation chamber is positioned.
  17. A process comprising: continuously recirculating sand and water in a first continuous recirculation loop, wherein the first continuous recirculation loop comprises: i) a first fluid path formed between a hopper and a recirculation chamber; ii) a second fluid path formed between the hopper and a diffuser; iii) a third fluid path formed between the recirculation chamber and the diffuser; iv) a fourth fluid path formed between the diffuser and a shaker device; and v) a fifth fluid path formed between the shaker device and the hopper; wherein continuously recirculating sand and water in the first continuous recirculation loop comprises: flowing a first portion of a first mixture contained in the hopper through the second fluid path; flowing a second portion of the first mixture in the first fluid path; flowing a first portion of a second mixture contained in the recirculation chamber in the third fluid path; flowing a combined mixture comprising the first portion of the first mixture and the first portion of the second mixture in the fourth fluid path; and flowing a shaker recycle liquid in the fifth fluid path.
  18. The process of claim 17, further comprising: continuously recirculating sand and water in a second continuous recirculation loop, wherein the second continuous recirculation loop comprises: i) a sixth fluid path formed between the recirculation chamber and a gas separator; ii) a seventh fluid path formed between the gas separator and the hopper; and iii) the first fluid path formed between the hopper and the recirculation chamber; wherein continuously recirculating sand and water in the second continuous recirculation loop comprises: flowing a second portion of the second mixture in the sixth fluid path; flowing a sand removal feed in the seventh fluid path; and flowing the second portion of the first mixture in the first fluid path.
  19. The process of claim 18, further comprising: receiving a stream comprising sand, liquid, and gas in the gas separator; continuously receiving the second portion of the second mixture from the recirculation chamber i) into the gas separator, ii) across a bottom discharge line of the gas separator, or iii) into the gas separator and across the bottom discharge line of the gas separator; while continuously receiving the second portion of the second mixture, separating the gas from the sand and liquid in the gas separator to form the sand removal feed; and flowing the sand removal feed to the hopper.
  20. A process for operating a recirculation chamber of a sand removal apparatus, wherein the sand removal apparatus comprises a hopper, a recirculation chamber, and a tank, the process comprising: receiving, by the recirculation chamber, a portion of a first mixture comprising sand and water that is contained in the hopper from the hopper into a second mixture comprising sand and water that is contained in the recirculation chamber; flowing a first portion of the second mixture from the recirculation chamber to a diffuser; flowing a second portion of the second mixture from the recirculation chamber to a gas separator; and optionally flowing a third portion of the second mixture from the recirculation chamber to the tank.

Description

The present disclosure generally relates to oil and gas operations, and more particularly, to the separation of fluids produced during drill out and flow back.

In oil and gas operations, a fracturing operation involves pumping a fluid under a fracturing pressure into a subterranean formation via a wellbore to “fracture” the rock of the subterranean formation. The fracturing creates fluid pathways through which hydrocarbons (e.g., in the form of oil and/or gas) may flow out of the rock to the wellbore. The pumped fluid can include water, proppant (e.g., sand), and in some cases one or more additives which are used to enhance the chemistry of the formation or fluid properties to optimize fracturing and subsequent hydrocarbon production.

Fracturing operations can be performed in stages, e.g., in a zones of the wellbore. The zone are created by placed plugs in the wellbore. After the fracturing operation is completed, the plugs are removed so that production can begin. Removal of the plugs is called drill out because drilling equipment is used to break the plugs into pieces so that fluids upstream of the plug (further downhole) can flow up the wellbore and into production lines. During drill out, the fluid produced includes the water and proppant used for fracturing, as well as pieces of the plugs that are drilled out. Hydrocarbons from the formation and any additives that were used in the pumped fluid can also be produced with the water and proppant.

Citations (34)

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  • US3605910A
  • US4287761A
  • US4519848A
  • US4784757A
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  • US5236605A
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  • US20240035346A1
Record as JSON 
{
  "publication_number": "US12173569B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Continuous recirculation for separation of fluids produced during drill out and flow back",
  "abstract": "One or two continuous recirculation loops are utilized for the well-site equipment that separates produced fluids into sand, liquid, and gas during drill out and flow back that occurs after fracturing a subterranean formation. When one recirculation loop is utilized, the recirculation loop continuously recirculates fluid between the recirculation chamber of the disclosed sand removal apparatus and a shaker device. When two recirculation loops are utilized, the first recirculation loop continuously recirculates fluid between a recirculation chamber of the disclosed sand removal apparatus and a shaker device, and the second recirculation loop continuously recirculates fluid between the recirculation chamber and a gas separator.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A process comprising: receiving a sand removal feed comprising sand and water into a first mixture contained in a hopper; flowing a first portion of the first mixture from the hopper to a diffuser; flowing a second portion of the first mixture from the hopper into a second mixture comprising sand and water that is contained in a recirculation chamber; flowing a first portion of the second mixture from the recirculation chamber to the diffuser; flowing a second portion of the second mixture to a gas separator; flowing a diffuser mixture comprising the first portion of the first mixture and the first portion of the second mixture from the diffuser to a shaker device; and flowing a shaker recycle liquid from the shaker device to the hopper.",
    "2. The process of claim 1, further comprising: flowing a third portion of the second mixture to a third mixture in a tank; and flowing a portion of the third mixture from the tank to a pit or to a fracturing fluid container.",
    "3. The process of claim 1, wherein the hopper, the recirculation chamber, the diffuser, and the shaker device are connected to a mobile structure.",
    "4. The process of claim 1, wherein flowing the first portion of the first mixture from the hopper to the diffuser and flowing the first portion of the second mixture from the recirculation chamber to the diffuser comprises: combining the first portion of the first mixture and the first portion of the second mixture to form a combined mixture; and pumping the combined mixture to the diffuser.",
    "5. The process of claim 1, wherein the diffuser is located at least partially above the shaker device, wherein the shaker device is located at least partially above the hopper.",
    "6. The process of claim 1, further comprising: shaking sand away from the shaker device to a location that is not above the hopper.",
    "7. The process of claim 1, wherein the sand removal feed is continuously received from the gas separator.",
    "8. The process of claim 1, wherein a concentration of sand in the first mixture is greater than a concentration of sand in the second mixture.",
    "9. A system comprising: a hopper having an interior configured to contain a first mixture comprising sand and water, wherein the hopper has a hopper bottom outlet positioned on a bottom portion of the hopper; a recirculation chamber having an interior configured to contain a second mixture comprising sand and water, a first outlet positioned on a bottom portion of the recirculation chamber, and a second outlet positioned on the bottom portion of the recirculation chamber; a diffuser having a diffuser inlet fluidly coupled to the hopper bottom outlet of the hopper and to the first outlet of the recirculation chamber, wherein the diffuser has a diffuser outlet; and a shaker device positioned at least partially below the diffuser and at least partially above the hopper.",
    "10. The system of claim 9, further comprising a first continuous recirculation loop comprising: i) a first fluid path formed between the hopper and the recirculation chamber; ii) a second fluid path formed between the hopper and the diffuser; iii) a third fluid path formed between the recirculation chamber and the diffuser; iv) a fourth fluid path formed between the diffuser and the shaker device; and v) a fifth fluid path formed between the shaker device and the hopper.",
    "11. The system of claim 10, further comprising: a gas separator that receives a stream comprising sand, liquid, and gas and separates the gas from the sand and the liquid, wherein the gas separator has a slurry outlet fluidly coupled to the second outlet of the recirculation chamber and to a top opening of the hopper.",
    "12. The system of claim 11, further comprising a second continuous recirculation loop comprising: i) a sixth fluid path formed between the recirculation chamber and the gas separator; ii) a seventh fluid path formed between the gas separator and the hopper; and iii) the first fluid path formed between the hopper and the recirculation chamber.",
    "13. The system of claim 10, further comprising: a pump having an inlet fluidly connected to the first outlet of the recirculation chamber and to the hopper bottom outlet, wherein the pump receives a first portion of the first mixture from the hopper and a first portion of the second mixture from the recirculation chamber, wherein the pump flows a combined mixture comprising the first portion of the first mixture and the first portion of the second mixture to an inlet of the diffuser.",
    "14. The system of claim 13, wherein the inlet of the diffuser is positioned on a bottom of the diffuser.",
    "15. The system of claim 9, further comprising: a tank fluidly connected to the recirculation chamber, wherein the tank receives a second portion of the second mixture from the recirculation chamber into a third mixture that is contained in the tank, wherein a liquid obtained from the third mixture flows from the tank to a pit or to a fracturing fluid container.",
    "16. The system of claim 9, wherein the first outlet of the recirculation chamber is positioned at a height above ground that is less than a height above ground at which the second outlet of the recirculation chamber is positioned.",
    "17. A process comprising: continuously recirculating sand and water in a first continuous recirculation loop, wherein the first continuous recirculation loop comprises: i) a first fluid path formed between a hopper and a recirculation chamber; ii) a second fluid path formed between the hopper and a diffuser; iii) a third fluid path formed between the recirculation chamber and the diffuser; iv) a fourth fluid path formed between the diffuser and a shaker device; and v) a fifth fluid path formed between the shaker device and the hopper; wherein continuously recirculating sand and water in the first continuous recirculation loop comprises: flowing a first portion of a first mixture contained in the hopper through the second fluid path; flowing a second portion of the first mixture in the first fluid path; flowing a first portion of a second mixture contained in the recirculation chamber in the third fluid path; flowing a combined mixture comprising the first portion of the first mixture and the first portion of the second mixture in the fourth fluid path; and flowing a shaker recycle liquid in the fifth fluid path.",
    "18. The process of claim 17, further comprising: continuously recirculating sand and water in a second continuous recirculation loop, wherein the second continuous recirculation loop comprises: i) a sixth fluid path formed between the recirculation chamber and a gas separator; ii) a seventh fluid path formed between the gas separator and the hopper; and iii) the first fluid path formed between the hopper and the recirculation chamber; wherein continuously recirculating sand and water in the second continuous recirculation loop comprises: flowing a second portion of the second mixture in the sixth fluid path; flowing a sand removal feed in the seventh fluid path; and flowing the second portion of the first mixture in the first fluid path.",
    "19. The process of claim 18, further comprising: receiving a stream comprising sand, liquid, and gas in the gas separator; continuously receiving the second portion of the second mixture from the recirculation chamber i) into the gas separator, ii) across a bottom discharge line of the gas separator, or iii) into the gas separator and across the bottom discharge line of the gas separator; while continuously receiving the second portion of the second mixture, separating the gas from the sand and liquid in the gas separator to form the sand removal feed; and flowing the sand removal feed to the hopper.",
    "20. A process for operating a recirculation chamber of a sand removal apparatus, wherein the sand removal apparatus comprises a hopper, a recirculation chamber, and a tank, the process comprising: receiving, by the recirculation chamber, a portion of a first mixture comprising sand and water that is contained in the hopper from the hopper into a second mixture comprising sand and water that is contained in the recirculation chamber; flowing a first portion of the second mixture from the recirculation chamber to a diffuser; flowing a second portion of the second mixture from the recirculation chamber to a gas separator; and optionally flowing a third portion of the second mixture from the recirculation chamber to the tank."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present disclosure generally relates to oil and gas operations, and more particularly, to the separation of fluids produced during drill out and flow back.\n\nIn oil and gas operations, a fracturing operation involves pumping a fluid under a fracturing pressure into a subterranean formation via a wellbore to “fracture” the rock of the subterranean formation. The fracturing creates fluid pathways through which hydrocarbons (e.g., in the form of oil and/or gas) may flow out of the rock to the wellbore. The pumped fluid can include water, proppant (e.g., sand), and in some cases one or more additives which are used to enhance the chemistry of the formation or fluid properties to optimize fracturing and subsequent hydrocarbon production.\n\nFracturing operations can be performed in stages, e.g., in a zones of the wellbore. The zone are created by placed plugs in the wellbore. After the fracturing operation is completed, the plugs are removed so that production can begin. Removal of the plugs is called drill out because drilling equipment is used to break the plugs into pieces so that fluids upstream of the plug (further downhole) can flow up the wellbore and into production lines. During drill out, the fluid produced includes the water and proppant used for fracturing, as well as pieces of the plugs that are drilled out. Hydrocarbons from the formation and any additives that were used in the pumped fluid can also be produced with the water and proppant.",
  "cpc": [
    "E21B 21/065",
    "B01D 19/0068",
    "B01D 21/003",
    "B01D 21/10",
    "B01D 21/2461",
    "B01D 21/2472",
    "B01D 21/2488",
    "B01D 21/2494",
    "B01D 2221/04",
    "B01D 2221/08",
    "B01D 45/16",
    "B01D 47/10",
    "B01D 50/40",
    "B03B 9/02",
    "B65G 33/24",
    "C10G 7/04",
    "E21B 21/067",
    "E21B 43/2607",
    "E21B 43/34",
    "E21B 43/35"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B01D 19/00",
    "B01D 21/00",
    "B01D 21/02",
    "B01D 45/16",
    "B01D 47/10",
    "B01D 50/40",
    "B03B 9/02",
    "B65G 33/24",
    "C10G 7/04",
    "E21B 21/06"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Cp Energy Services Inc"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Tracy Turner",
    "Dennis Ray Poulson"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2024-07-26",
  "publication_date": "2024-12-24",
  "grant_date": "2024-12-24",
  "priority_date": "2018-10-01",
  "application_number": "US-202418785174-A",
  "family_id": "93465382",
  "cited_by_count": 2,
  "citations": [
    "US2331102A",
    "US3605910A",
    "US4287761A",
    "US4519848A",
    "US4784757A",
    "US5242604A",
    "US5665245A",
    "US5236605A",
    "US5344570A",
    "US20090236144A1",
    "US20080006304A1",
    "US20190211501A1",
    "US7972501B2",
    "US20090277632A1",
    "US8449779B2",
    "US20180193773A1",
    "US9498739B2",
    "US9597614B2",
    "US9687761B2",
    "US8517167B2",
    "US20130284023A1",
    "US20130220891A1",
    "US20120216416A1",
    "US20120211281A1",
    "US20120325751A1",
    "US20130284026A1",
    "US20150047906A1",
    "US10751654B1",
    "US11634953B1",
    "US20200101403A1",
    "US10807022B2",
    "US11492859B2",
    "US20230025841A1",
    "US20240035346A1"
  ]
}

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