Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DELIVERY OF OILFIELD MATERIALS
BACKGROUND
[0001] To facilitate the recovery of hydrocarbons from oil and gas wells, the
subterranean
formations surrounding such wells can be hydraulically fractured. Hydraulic
fracturing may be
used to create cracks in subsurface formations to allow oil and/or gas to move
toward the well.
The formation is fractured by introducing a specially engineered fluid,
sometimes referred to as
fracturing fluid or fracturing slurry, at high pressure and high flow rates
into the formation
through one or more wellbores. The fracturing fluids may be loaded with
proppant which are
sized particles that may be mixed with the liquids of the fracturing fluid to
help form an efficient
conduit for production of hydrocarbons from the formation to the wellbore.
Proppant may
comprise naturally occurring sand grains or gravel, man-made proppants, e.g.
fibers or resin
coated sand, high-strength ceramic materials, e.g. sintered bauxite, or other
suitable materials.
The proppant collects heterogeneously or homogeneously inside the fractures to
prop open the
fractures formed in the formation. Effectively, the proppant creates planes of
permeable
conduits through which production fluids can flow to the wellbore.
[0002] At the well site, proppant and other fracturing fluid components are
blended at a low-
pressure side of the system. The oilfield materials often are delivered from
storage facilities to a
blender by pneumatic systems which blow the oilfield materials. Water-based
liquid is added
and the resulting fracturing fluid is delivered downhole under high pressure.
However, handling
of the proppant prior to blending tends to create substantial dust as the
proppant is moved to
the blender via blowers. As a result, dust control devices, e.g. vacuums, are
employed in an
effort to control the dust. The variety of equipment used in the process also
tends to create a
large footprint at the well site, and operating the equipment is generally a
manually intensive
process.
SUMMARY
[0003] In general, the present disclosure provides a system and method which
facilitate the
handling of oilfield materials in a space efficient manner. The oilfield
material is stored in at least
one silo which may enable use of gravity to feed the oilfield material to a
blending system or
other suitable equipment. In many applications, the oilfield material is
delivered to each silo
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without blowers. A mobile support structure is disclosed, which receives one
or more
modular silos at the wellsite. Each modular silo is transportable and may be
engaged with
a support structure that may be transported to the wellsite separately via a
connection that
allows for controlled movement of the modular silo during erection. Once
engaged, the
modular silo may be pivoted to a raised, upright position on the support
structure. The
oilfield material is then moved to an interior of the silo, and gravity may be
used to feed
the oilfield material to a blender or other equipment in a controlled manner.
[0004] Some embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a mobile
oilfield
material transfer unit. The unit includes a chassis having a first end, a
second end, a
support beam extending between the first end and the second end, and wheels
operably
coupled with the support beam for movably supporting the support beam. The
unit also
includes an erecting mast assembly including a mast movably connected with the
chassis proximate to the second end, and an actuator system coupled with the
mast and
with the chassis for moving the mast between a horizontal position and a
vertical
position. The unit also has a first conveyor assembly including a support
frame coupled
with the mast and moveable between the horizontal position and the vertical
position,
the first conveyor assembly including a first conveyor coupled with the
support frame, an
inlet, and an upper discharge portion, the first conveyor adapted to move a
volume of
oilfield material from the inlet to the upper discharge portion.
[0004a] Some embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a mobile
support
structure comprising: a support base having a first end and a second end, a
top surface
and a bottom surface, a first side and a second side; a frame structure
connected to the
support base, the frame structure extending above the support base to define a
passage
between the top surface and the frame structure, the frame structure having a
plurality of
silo receiving regions each sized and configured to receive a modular silo
adjacent an
upper surface thereof; a first expandable base on the first side of the
support base and
movable between a travel position and a support position, the first expandable
base
substantially coplanar with the support base when in the support position; and
a second
expandable base on the second side of the support base and movable between a
travel
position and a support position, the second expandable base substantially
coplanar with
the support base and the first expandable base when in the support position,
wherein
the support base, the first expandable base and the second expandable base
provide
vertical and lateral support to each modular silo when the expandable bases
are in the
support position, and wherein a first portion of the frame structure is
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positioned above the support base, and a second portion of the frame structure
is
positioned on either the first or second expandable base.
[0004b] Some embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a mobile
support
structure for supporting at least one modular silo, the mobile support
structure
comprising: a support base having a first end and a second end, a top surface
and a
bottom surface; a frame structure connected to the support base, the frame
structure
extending above the support base to define a passage between the top surface
and the
frame structure, the frame structure having a plurality of receiving regions
each sized
and configured to receive at least one modular silo; a gooseneck portion
extending from
the first end of the support base and configured to connect to and disconnect
from a
truck, wherein the gooseneck portion, when disconnected from the truck, is
configured to
be manipulated to lie on the ground and be generally co-planar with the
support base;
and a plurality of wheels located proximate to the second end of the support
base, the
gooseneck portion and the wheels enabling movement of the support structure.
[0005] However, many modifications are possible without materially departing
from the
teachings of this disclosure. Accordingly, such modifications are intended to
be included
within the scope of this disclosure as defined in the claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] Certain embodiments of the disclosure will hereafter be described with
reference to
the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals denote like
elements. It
should be understood, however, that the accompanying figures illustrate the
various
implementations described herein and are not meant to limit the scope of
various
technologies described herein, and:
[0007] Figure 1 is an illustration of an example of a proppant delivery system
positioned at
a well site, according to an embodiment of the disclosure;
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[0008] Figure 2 is an illustration of another embodiment of a proppant
delivery system in which
a plurality of closed, modular silos are used for holding oilfield materials,
according to an
embodiment of the disclosure;
[0009] Figure 3 is a schematic illustration of an example of a vertical
conveyor system enclosed
within a silo, according to an embodiment of the disclosure;
[0010] Figure 4 is an illustration of an example of a support structure with
silo receiving areas
on which modular silos may be mounted in an upright orientation, according to
an embodiment
of the disclosure;
[0011] Figure 5 is an illustration of a plurality of modular silos transported
by over-the-road
trucks and erected into position on the support structure, according to an
embodiment of the
disclosure;
[0012] Figure 6 is an illustration of an example of a pivot connection used in
pivoting a modular
silo from a lateral position to an upright position on the support structure,
according to an
embodiment of the disclosure;
[0013] Figure 7 is an illustration of a plurality of the modular silos
positioned on the support
structure with load cells mounted in appropriate locations to monitor the
load, and thus the
content weight, of each modular silo, according to an embodiment of the
disclosure;
[0014] Figure 8 is an illustration of an example of a mat system on which the
support structure
may be mounted at a well site, according to an embodiment of the disclosure;
[0015] Figure 9 is an illustration of an example of the support structure
positioned on the mat
system illustrated in Figure 8, according to an embodiment of the disclosure;
[0016] Figures 10-12 depict various illustrations of installing a mobile
support structure at a
location according to an embodiment of the disclosure.
[0017] Figures 13-15 depict various illustrations of aligning a modular silo
with connections of
the mobile support structure at a location according to an embodiment of the
disclosure.
[0018] Figures 16-17 depict various illustrations of erecting the modular
silos onto the mobile
support structure according to an embodiment of the disclosure.
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[0019] Figure 18 is a top plan view of the exemplary mobile support structure
depicted in
Figures 10-17.
[0020] Figure 19 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a mobile
support structure
constructed in accordance with the present disclosure having a blending system
integrated into
a support base of the mobile support structure and within a passage defined by
a frame
structure.
[0021] Figure 20 is a perspective view of an example of a mobile oilfield
material transfer unit
according to an embodiment of the disclosure, with a first conveyor assembly
shown in a
horizontal position;
[0022] Figure 21 is a perspective view of the mobile oilfield material
transfer unit of Figure 20
shown with the first conveyor assembly shown in a vertical position;
[0023] Figure 22 is a partial perspective view of an example of a support
frame of a first
conveyor assembly according to an embodiment of the disclosure;
[0024] Figure 23 is a perspective view of an example of a discharge chute of a
first conveyor
assembly according to an embodiment of the disclosure;
[0025] Figure 24 is a perspective view of a mobile oilfield material transfer
unit shown coupled
with a modular silo according to an embodiment of the disclosure;
[0026] Figure 25 is a perspective view of the mobile oilfield material
transfer unit of Figure 24
shown with an oilfield material delivery trailer positioned thereon, according
to an embodiment
of the disclosure;
[0027] Figure 26 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a mobile oilfield
material transfer
unit shown coupled with a modular silo and an oilfield material delivery
trailer positioned
thereon, according to an embodiment of the disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0028] In the following description, numerous details are set forth to provide
an understanding
of some embodiments of the present disclosure. However, it will be understood
by those of
ordinary skill in the art that the system and/or methodology may be practiced
without these
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details and that numerous variations or modifications from the described
embodiments may be
possible.
[0029] Unless expressly stated to the contrary, "or" refers to an inclusive or
and not to an
exclusive or. For example, a condition A or B is satisfied by anyone of the
following: A is true (or
present) and B is false (or not present), A is false (or not present) and B is
true (or present), and
both A and B are true (or present).
[0030] In addition, use of the "a" or "an" are employed to describe elements
and components of
the embodiments herein. This is done merely for convenience and to give a
general sense of
the inventive concept. This description should be read to include one or at
least one and the
singular also includes the plural unless otherwise stated.
[0031] The terminology and phraseology used herein is for descriptive purposes
and should not
be construed as limiting in scope. Language such as "including," "comprising,"
"having,"
"containing," or "involving," and variations thereof, is intended to be broad
and encompass the
subject matter listed thereafter, equivalents, and additional subject matter
not recited.
[0032] Finally, as used herein any references to "one embodiment" or "an
embodiment" means
that a particular element, feature, structure, or characteristic described in
connection with the
embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. The appearances of the
phrase "in one
embodiment" in various places in the specification are not necessarily
referring to the same
embodiment.
[0033] The present disclosure generally involves a system and methodology to
facilitate
handling of oilfield materials in a space efficient manner. In one embodiment,
the oilfield
materials may be carried to a wellsite by suitable trucks and loaded into at
least one modular
silo without using air to carry the oilfield material. By way of example, the
oilfield materials may
be moved into a plurality of modular silos by using vertical conveyors to move
the oilfield
material without blowers. In some embodiments, each modular silo comprises an
outer housing
defining an enclosed interior for receiving the oilfield material. A
corresponding vertical conveyor
is positioned within the enclosed interior and is used to lift the oilfield
material from a silo inlet,
e.g. a hopper, to an upper portion of the modular silo without utilizing
airflow to carry the oilfield
materials. Once the oilfield material is disposed within the upright modular
silo, the outflow of
oilfield material through a silo outlet may be gravity controlled so as to
selectively release the
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desired amount of material into a blending system or other suitable equipment
positioned
underneath the modular silo.
[0034] According to an example, a vertical silo is designed as a modular silo
which may be
carried to the well site by an over-the-road truck before being mounted in a
generally upright
position on the support structure. Truck refers to a transport vehicle, such
as an articulated truck
having a trailer pulled by a tractor. In this example, the modular silo is
carried by the trailer of
the truck. However, the truck also may comprise a straight truck or other
suitable truck designed
to carry the modular silo and to transport the modular silo over public
roadways. The support
structure may be designed in a manner which allows the silo to be erected from
its lateral
position on the truck to an upright, e.g. vertical, position at the well site.
However, it should be
understood that in other embodiments, a crane may be used to lift the modular
silo and place
the modular silo onto a support structure. The use of upright silos provides
an efficient solution
for proppant delivery in many applications. Gravity effectively causes the
oilfield material to flow
downwardly to desired equipment, such as a blending system.
[0035] The support structure may be designed in a variety of forms and
configurations to
support individual modular silos or a plurality of modular silos. By way of
example, the support
structure may be constructed of struts arranged in an A-frame configuration or
other type of
configuration able to support and secure the at least one modular silo in the
desired upright
position. In at least some applications, the support structure is designed to
engage each
modular silo while the modular silo is positioned on the transport truck. This
allows the modular
silo to be pivoted upwardly directly from the truck to its operational,
upright position. The support
structure also may be constructed to support each modular silo at a sufficient
height to enable
oilfield material to be gravity fed through a bottom end feeder and into a
portable blender
positioned below. In some applications, load cells are incorporated into the
support structure to
monitor the loading caused by each modular silo which enables tracking of the
amount of oilfield
material in each modular silo. In one embodiment, the support structure is a
mobile support
structure implemented as a trailer having wheels and a gooseneck portion for
connection to the
truck. In this embodiment, the gooseneck portion may convert to a ramp to aid
in positioning a
blending system underneath the modular silos. In another embodiment, the
blending system
may be integrated on the deck of the mobile support structure.
[0036] In some embodiments, a conveyor, such as a mechanical belt conveyor,
may be utilized
to move oilfield material unloaded from a gravity dump transport into an
intake hopper of a
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vertical conveyor enclosed within the modular silo. The mechanical belt
conveyor can be
backed over by a trailer hauling the oilfield material with multiple nozzles
overlapping the
mechanical belt conveyor, or other types of haulers may be used, such as tail
dumps and live
bottom trailers. By way of example, the vertical conveyor may comprise a
bucket elevator or
other type of vertical conveyor capable of conveying the oilfield material to
an upper end of the
modular silo a substantial distance, e.g. 30 to 70 feet, above the well site
surface. The conveyor
moving the oilfield material to the silo and the vertical conveyor may be
enclosed to provide a
dust free solution for handling oilfield material at much higher rates with
greater energy
efficiency and lower attrition than that achieved with existing pneumatic,
e.g. blower, type
conveyance systems. To increase storage capacity of the modular silo as
compared to a
cylindrical silo, the outer housing may have a substantially rectangular shape
defining four
corners (which may form pointed vertices or be rounded). The modular silo may
be transported
on a trailer having a gooseneck. As best shown in Figure 5, to further
increase the storage
capacity of the modular silo while still being capable of being transported by
a truck, the vertical
conveyor may extend beyond a top of the outer housing and be offset towards
one of the
corners so as to avoid the gooseneck of the trailer.
[0037] Depending on the parameters of a given fracturing process, a plurality
of the modular
silos may be grouped together so that feeders of the plurality of modular
silos provide oilfield
material to a common area, e.g. to a truck mounted blending system having a
proppant
metering/rate control system, or other portable blender or blending system
positioned beneath
the modular silos. In order to reduce the space required at the wellsite for
the plurality of the
modular silos, the common area may be located below the outer housings of the
modular silos.
In this example, the outer housings of the modular silos overlap the common
area. Additionally,
some or all of the modular silos may be divided into compartments. In some
applications,
individual modular silos may have a plurality of internal compartments for
holding different types
of oilfield materials. Individual silos also may be divided into main storage
compartments and
secondary storage compartments located below the main storage compartments. In
the latter
example, the main storage compartment may be used to gravity feed oilfield
material to an
outlet feeder for distribution into the blending system. Some systems may
utilize a belt feeder or
other type of feeder system instead of gravity feed. The secondary storage
compartment may
be exposed to the internal vertical conveyor and proppant from the secondary
storage
compartment may continually be lifted and discharged into the main storage
compartment. In
some applications, the secondary compartments or other compartments of the
modular silo may
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have separate features which enable independent filling of those particular
compartments.
Additionally, outlet feeders may be designed with controllable mechanisms,
e.g. gates, which
are adjustable to control the outflow of oilfield material.
[0038] The modular silos may be designed in a variety of sizes and shapes,
including cylindrical
shapes or rectangular shapes, selected to enable transport via a suitable over-
the-road truck.
By way of example, the modular silos may vary in size according to the
proppant delivery plan
for a given fracturing operation, but an example of a suitable modular silo
may hold 2000-4000
cubic feet of oilfield material. In some systems, the modular silos are
provided with sufficient
clearance on the bottom side to form an unobstructed passage to enable a
portable blending
system, such as a truck mounted blending system, to be driven under a system
of combined
modular silos to receive oilfield material via gravity feed. For example, the
portable blending
system may be mounted on a truck trailer which is backed into position under
the outlet feeders
of a plurality of modular silos. In some embodiments, the modular silos may be
designed as
standalone silos and in other embodiments, the modular silos may be designed
for placement
on a framework/support structure which supports the modular silos at a desired
height. In one
embodiment the blending system may be skid mounted in order to be transported
on a trailer to
the wellsite and then placed under the silo system by a suitable mechanical
device, such as a
winch.
[0039] Each of these embodiments may utilize an enclosed, vertical conveyor to
avoid blowing
of the oilfield material, although in other embodiments a pneumatic fill tube
can be used as a
vertical conveyor. Each modular silo also may be filled by an integrated,
oilfield material loading
and delivery system utilizing an enclosed conveyor or other suitable system
for moving oilfield
material from an unload area to an inlet associated with the vertical conveyor
at a lower end of
the modular silo. In some applications, the vertical conveyor may be powered
by a belt or other
device driven by the enclosed conveyor system used to move oilfield material
from the unload
area to the inlet of the modular silo. This allows the system to be
substantially automated.
However, the individual motive systems, e.g., vertical conveyor and enclosed
conveyor
extending from the unload area, may be powered individually or collectively by
a variety of
sources, including various motors, engines, or other devices.
[0040] Referring generally to Figure 1, an embodiment of a proppant delivery
system for
forming a slurry suitable for fracturing formations, is illustrated in
position at a well site. By way
of example, the proppant delivery system may comprise many types of equipment,
including
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vehicles, storage containers, material handling equipment, pumps, control
systems, and other
equipment designed to facilitate the fracturing process.
[0041] In the example of Figure 1, a proppant delivery system 20 is
illustrated in position at a
wellsite 22 having a well 24 with at least one wellbore 26 extending down into
a
reservoir/formation. The proppant delivery system 20 may comprise many types
and
arrangements of equipment, and the types or arrangements may vary from one
fracturing
operation to another. By way of example, the proppant delivery system 20 may
comprise at
least one modular silo 28, e.g. a plurality of modular silos that may be
transported over-the-road
by trucks able to operate on public roadways. The modular silos 28 are
designed to store oilfield
material such as a proppant used to prop open fractures upon fracturing of the
subterranean
formation, or guar used to increase the viscosity of a hydraulic fracturing
fluid. In the example
illustrated, several modular silos 28 receive oilfield material via conveyors
30, e.g. belt
conveyors, and the oilfield material is lifted to an upper portion 31 of each
modular silo 28 by
corresponding vertical conveyors 32. The conveyors 30 and the vertical
conveyors 32 may
operate by carrying the oilfield material instead of blowing the oiffield
material to avoid erosion of
components and dusting of the area. Additionally, the conveyors 30 and
vertical conveyors 32
may be enclosed to further reduce dust as the oltfield material is delivered
from an unload area
34 and into the modular silos 28.
[0042] As Illustrated, oilfield material transport trucks 36 may be used to
deliver oilfield material
to the unload area 34. In this example, the trucks 36 are tractor-trailer
trucks having trailers 37
which may be backed over a portion of a selected conveyor 30. The trailers 37
can be gravity
feed trailers or other types of trailers capable of moving the oilfield
material to the wellsite 22.
The trailers may be operated to release the oilfield material through
releasing means 88-1,88-2
and 88-3 onto a belt or other suitable carrier of the selected conveyor 30 for
transfer to the
associated modular silo or silos 28 along an enclosed pathway within the
conveyor 30.
[0043] in this example, the proppant delivery system 20 may comprise a variety
of other
components including water tanks (not shown) for supplying water that is mixed
with the oilfield
material to form the hydraulic fracturing fluid, e.g. proppant slurry, that
may be pumped
downhole into wellbore 26 via a plurality of pumps (not shown). By way of
example, pumps may
be truck mounted pumps, e.g. pumping systems mounted on truck trailers
designed for over-
the-road transport. The multiple pumps may be coupled to a common manifold
(not shown)
designed to deliver the hydraulic fracturing fluid to the wellbore 26. The
proppant delivery
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system 20 also may comprise a blending system 44 designed to blend oilfield
material delivered
from modular silos 28. By way of example, the blending system 44 may be a
portable blender,
such as a truck mounted blender or a skid mounted blender. In the specific
example illustrated,
blending system 44 is mounted on a truck trailer 46 that may be driven, e.g.
backed up, into a
common area 47 (shown in Figure 3) that is positioned underneath or proximate
to the modular
silos 28. The proppant delivery system 20 also may comprise a variety of other
components,
such as a control facility 48 and/or other components designed to facilitate a
given fracturing
operation. In one embodiment, the common area 47 is located below the outer
housings 49 of
the modular silos 28. In this embodiment, the outer housings 49 of the modular
silos 28 overlap
the common area 47.
[0044] Referring generally to Figure 2, an embodiment of modular silos 28
coupled together into
a cooperating unit is illustrated. In this example, a plurality of the modular
silos 28, e.g. four
modular silos 28, is coupled together on a modular support structure, or
framework, 50 which
may be mounted on a mat system 52 which may be placed upon a pad, such as a
concrete pad,
gravel or the like. The mat system 52 distributes the load from the modular
silos 28 onto the
ground. The modular silos 28 may be releasably mounted in a generally upright
or vertical
orientation on support structure 50. Support structure 50 is constructed with
a plurality of silo
receiving regions 54 on which the individual modular silos 28 may be mounted
in a generally
upright or vertical orientation. The support structure 50 and the silo
receiving regions 54 may be
designed to elevate the modular silos 28 to a sufficient height so as to allow
movement of
portable blending system 44 to a position sufficiently beneath the modular
silos 28 within the
common area 47 in order to receive a controlled outflow of oilfield material.
For example, the
support structure 50 may be designed to allow a truck mounted blending system
44 to be
driven, e.g. backed up, into position beneath the modular silos 28, as
illustrated. Additionally,
the pad may be constructed in a variety of sizes and forms, including cement
pads, compacted
aggregate pads, pads constructed as portable structures, mixtures of these
various structural
elements, and/or other suitable pad types for supporting the plurality of
modular silos 28.
[0045] In the example illustrated, modular silos 28 each may be constructed
with a silo frame
56 supporting the outer housing 49 which defines an enclosed interior 60 for
holding oilfield
material 62 (see also Figure 3). Depending on the fracturing operation,
oilfield material 62 may
comprise naturally occurring sand grains or gravel, man-made proppants, resin
coated sand,
high-strength ceramic materials, e.g. sintered bauxite, other solids such as
fibers, mica,
mixtures of different sized oilfield materials, mixtures of different types of
oilfield materials,
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and/or other suitable oilfield materials. In some applications, selected
modular silos 28 or each
of the modular silos 28 may be divided into the compartments 64 designed to
hold different
types of oilfield materials 62 that may be selectively released from the
modular silo 28 and
blended via the blending system 44. Each enclosed vertical conveyor 32 is
designed to lift
oilfield material (e.g., with or without blowing) from an inlet 66, e.g. an
inlet hopper, disposed at
a lower portion 68 to an upper discharge portion 70 for release into enclosed
interior 60 through
a vertical conveyor head 72. In some embodiments, the conveyor head 72 may
have a pivotable
or otherwise movable discharge which is selectively controllable to deliver
the desired oilfield
material to a corresponding desired compartment 64 within a given modular silo
28.
[0046] With further reference to Figure 3, the vertical conveyor 32 may be
positioned within
enclosed interior 60 in a manner which limits escape of dust while providing a
uniform modular
unit that may be readily transported via an over-the-road truck, such as truck
36 with a suitably
designed trailer. Vertical conveyor 32 also may be constructed in a variety of
forms. For
example, the vertical conveyor 32 may be constructed as a bucket elevator 74
having a plurality
of buckets 75 conveyed in a continuous loop lifting oilfield material 62 from
inlet 66 to upper
discharge portion 70 for discharge into enclosed interior 60 via vertical
conveyor head 72. The
outflow of oilfield material 62 to the blending system 44 may be through an
outlet, e.g. a feeder
76, and the amount of outflow through feeder 76 may be controlled by a
suitable outflow control
mechanism 78. For example, the blending system 44 may include a hopper 79-1
having an inlet
79-2 positioned below the feeder 76. In one embodiment, the outer housing 58
overlaps the inlet
79-2 of the hopper 79-1. The inlet 79-2 of the hopper 79-1 may have a width 79-
3 up to 12 feet,
and desirably between 8 feet to 8.5 feet. The hopper 79-1 may also have an
outflow control
mechanism 79-4 which is similar to the outflow control mechanism 78. By way of
example,
outflow control mechanisms 78 and 79-4 may comprise a controllable gate, e.g.
hydraulic gate,
control valve, or other flow control mechanism which is operated via control
facility 48 or via
another suitable control system. In this example, oilfield material 62 is
gravity fed through feeder
76 and the amount of outflow is governed by the outflow control mechanism 78.
In one
embodiment, the amount of oilfield material 62 discharged into a blender 79-5
of the blending
system 44 may be regulated by both of the outflow control mechanisms 78 and 79-
4. In this
instance, the outflow control mechanism 79-4 may be maintained in a fixed open
position while
the outflow control mechanism 78 is regulated in real-time by the control
facility 48 to control an
amount of oilfield material 62 discharged into the blender 79-5. Because the
feeder 76 is within
the confines of the hopper 79-1, as the hopper 79-1 fills with oilfield
material 62, the oilfield
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material 62 will bear against the feeder 76 and form a plug. In this manner,
the oufflow control
mechanism 79-4 is self-regulating and the outflow control mechanism 78 and the
control facility
48 may solely control the amount of oilfield material 62 discharged into the
blender 79-5.
[0047] Referring generally to Figure 4, an example of support structure 50 is
illustrated. In this
example, the support structure 50 comprises a plurality of struts 82 which are
connected by
suitable fastening methods to create a strong, stable structure for supporting
at least one
modular silo 28. Fastening methods may utilize welds, bolt and nut fasteners,
and/or other
suitable types of fasteners. The struts 82 are connected to form at least one
silo receiving
region 54. In the example illustrated, struts 82 are arranged to create a
plurality of the silo
receiving regions 54 designed to receive and support, for example, two modular
silos 28.
However, support structure 50 may be constructed in a variety of
configurations for supporting
various numbers of modular silos 28 in many types of arrangements and
configurations.
[0048] In the embodiment illustrated, struts 82 also are arranged to create
support structure 50
with a drive under region or passage 84 which provides space for system
equipment, such as
portable blending system 44 as well as encompasses the common area 47. By way
of example,
support structure 50 may be arranged so that silo receiving regions 54 are
able to support
modular silos 28 via silo frames 56 at a raised position which allows bottom
feeders 76 to meter
the outflow of oilfield material 62 down into the portable blending system 44
when the portable
blending system 44 is positioned and/or driven into the passage 84. As
illustrated, upper struts
86 may be used to connect silo receiving regions 54 and to provide an upper
support for a
portion of the modular silo frames 56. The upper struts 86 may be placed at a
sufficient height to
enable a truck mounted portable blending system 44 to be driven, e.g. backed
up, into drive
under region or passage 84 for receiving oilfield material 62 from the modular
silos 28. In other
embodiments, however, the upper struts 86 may be split and supported by
additional vertical
struts to allow separation of the silo receiving regions 54. The separation of
silo receiving
regions 54 allows individual silos 28 or groups of silos 28 to be separated
and to provide a
space through which equipment, e.g. the portable blending system 44, may be
driven between
the separated modular silos 28.
[0049] Support structure 50 also may comprise a variety of additional
features, including
strengthening cross struts 88 which may be positioned at various locations
throughout the
structure of support structure 50 to enhance the strength of the support
structure. The support
structure 50 also may comprise pivot struts 90 to which pivot connectors
(shown in Figure 6)
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may be attached, as discussed in greater detail below. The pivot struts 90
provide a strong
region of the support structure 50 to which each modular silo 28 may initially
be engaged and
then pivoted against during erection of each modular silo 28 from a lateral
position to an upright,
operational position. In some applications, the pivot struts 90 are located at
a height which
matches corresponding pivot connectors of the modular silo frame 56 when the
modular silo 28
is mounted laterally, e.g. horizontally, on a suitable over-the-road truck 36.
[0050] Referring again to Figure 4, support structure 50 also may comprise or
be connected
with at least one expandable base 92 designed to stabilize the support
structure 50 and the
modular silos 28 when mounted in an upright position on the support structure
50. In the
example illustrated, a plurality of expandable bases 92 are movably connected
with a base
portion 94 of support structure 50. The expandable bases 92 may be slidably
received in base
portion 94 for movement between a retracted position in base portion 94 and an
extended
position, as illustrated, to provide greater stability to the support
structure 50. The extension and
contraction of expandable bases 92 may be performed by a variety of suitable
actuators,
including hydraulic actuators, e.g. hydraulic cylinders, electric actuators,
e.g. stepping motors
which operate a screw coupled to the expandable bases, and/or mechanical
actuators, e.g.
expandable bases which may be manually transitioned between positions.
Additionally,
transition of the expandable bases 92 between retracted and actuated positions
may be
facilitated by a variety of other types of moveable joints, including hinges
and other types of
pivots, couplers which enable quick connection and disconnection of the
expandable bases 92,
and/or other suitable mechanisms. The number and orientation of expandable
bases 92 also
may be adjusted according to the parameters of a given application. The
expandable bases 92
may be connected with the support structure 50 so as to provide a seismic base
isolation to the
support structure 50. The expandable bases 92 may include additional slideable
or foldable
outriggers connected at a side of the expandable base 92 to further stabilize
the support
structure 50.
[0051] In Figure 5, an example is illustrated in which a plurality of modular
silos 28 are being
placed into position on two of the support structures 50 positioned side-by-
side. In this example,
each individual modular silo 28 is transported to the well site 22 by a
suitable truck 36. As
illustrated, the suitable truck 36 may comprise a tractor 98 pulling a trailer
100 appropriately
sized to receive one of the silos 28 in a lateral, e.g. horizontal,
orientation. In the example
illustrated, the modular silo 28 is constructed such that vertical conveyor
head 72 extends from
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closed top 80 of silo housing 58 generally along a side of the modular silo
28. This enables
transport of the modular silo 28 on a conventional gooseneck style trailer 92,
as illustrated.
[0052] Each truck 36 may be backed up to move the laterally positioned silo 28
into
engagement with a corresponding silo receiving region 54 of support structure
50. As discussed
above, the support structure 50 may comprise pivot struts 90 or other suitable
structures located
at an appropriate height to receive and engage each modular silo 28 when in
the lateral position
on truck 36. By way of example, the support structure 50 and the corresponding
modular silos
28 may use pivot connectors 102 by which the silo 28 may be selectively
engaged with the
support structure 50. The pivot connectors 102 are positioned to allow
engagement and
connection of each silo 28 with the support structure 50 while the silo 28 is
in a lateral position
on truck 36. The pivot connectors 102 also are designed to maintain engagement
of the
modular silo 28 with the support structure 50 as the silo is pivoted from the
lateral position to an
operational upright, e.g. vertical, orientation.
[0053] The modular silos 28 may be pivoted or moved about pivot connectors 102
from the
lateral position on truck 36 to the operational, upright position on the
support structure 50 by a
variety of mechanisms. For example, a ram 104 (shown in dashed lines) may be
used to erect
each silo 28 between the lateral and upright positions. The ram 104 may be a
hydraulic or
pneumatic ram positioned on trailer 100 to act against frame 56 of each
modular silo 28 to pivot
the modular silo 28 about pivot connectors 102 until the silo 28 is securely
received in its upright
position by silo receiving region 54. The ram 104 may be designed to operate
off a hydraulic (or
pneumatic) system of truck 36. In other applications, the ram 104 may be
designed to pivot
trailer 100 or a portion of trailer 100 upwardly while the modular silo 28
remains attached to the
pivoting portion of the trailer 100. Other techniques may utilize cranes,
pulleys, and/or other
mechanisms to pivot each modular silo 28 about the pivot connection as the
modular silo 28 is
transitioned from the lateral position to the operational, upright
orientation.
[0054] The pivot connectors 102 are used to facilitate formation of the pivot
connection between
each modular silo 28 and the support structure 50 and may comprise a variety
of individual or
plural connector mechanisms. Generally, each pivot connector 102 comprises a
pivot member
106 mounted to the silo 28 and a corresponding pivot member 108 mounted on the
support
structure 50, e.g. mounted on pivot struts 90, as illustrated in Figure 6. In
the specific example
illustrated in Figures 5 and 6, each modular silo 28 is pivotably engaged with
support structure
50 via a pair of the pivot connectors 102. By way of example, each pivot
member 106 may
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comprise a pin 110 rotatably, e.g. pivotably, received in a corresponding pin
receiver 112 which
forms part of corresponding pivot member 108. Although pin 110 is illustrated
as connected to
frame 56 of modular silo 28 and pin receiver 112 is illustrated as connected
to pivot struts 90 of
support structure 50, the pin 110 and pin receiver 112 can be reversed.
Additionally, the pivot
connectors 102 may comprise a variety of other structures designed to enable
selective
engagement of the modular silos 28 with support structure 50 and controlled
movement of the
modular silos 28 with respect to the support structure 50. Depending on the
design of the pivot
connectors 102, a variety of retention features such as expanded pin head 114
may be used to
maintain the pivotable connection between the modular silo 28 and support
structure 50 during
transition of the modular silo 28 from the lateral position to the upright
position.
[0055] Referring generally to Figure 7, the support structure 50 and/or
modular silos 28 may
comprise other features for detecting and/or monitoring certain system
functions. For example,
various sensors 116 may be positioned on support structure 50 and/or on
modular silos 28 to
detect and/or monitor parameters related to the delivery of oilfield material
62 for a given
fracturing operation. By way of example, sensors 116 may comprise load cells
mounted at silo
receiving regions 54 to monitor the loads applied by individual modular silos
28. The loading
data may be used to track the amount of oilfield material that remains in
enclosed interior 60 of
each modular silo 28.
[0056] In Figures 5, 7, 8 and 9, an operational example is illustrated to
facilitate explanation of
how an embodiment of the proppant delivery system may be constructed at a
given wellsite 22.
In this example, the mat system 52 is initially constructed at well site 22 as
shown in Figure 8.
The mat system 52 52 may be constructed in a variety of sizes and forms
depending on the
environment and on the size and parameters of a given fracturing operation. By
way of
example, the mat system 52 may comprise of a structural material formed of
steel or another
suitable structural material, and positioned on the pad to distribute the
weight of the modular
silos 28 to the ground, as illustrated in Figure 8.
[0057] Once the mat system 52 is in place, at least one support structure 50
may be assembled
and/or positioned on the mat system 52, as illustrated in Figure 9. The
support structure 50 is
oriented for receipt of modular silos 28 in a desired orientation at well site
22. In the specific
example illustrated, the support structure 50 is constructed and positioned to
receive a plurality
of the modular silos 28, e.g. two, three or four modular silos 28. After the
support structure 50 is
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properly positioned, trucks 36 are used to deliver modular silos 28. In one
embodiment, the mat
system 52 may be integrated into a base of the support structure 50.
[0058] As illustrated in Figure 5, for example, an individual modular silo 28
may be mounted in
a horizontal position on trailer 100 of truck 36. As discussed above, each
modular silo 28 may
be designed as a modular unit used alone or in cooperation with other silos
28. The modularity
along with the design and sizing of the modular silos 28 enables transport of
individual modular
silos 28 over public highways via trucks 36. When truck 36 and the
corresponding modular silo
28 arrive at the well site 22, the truck 36 is used to back modular silo 28
into engagement with a
first support connection of the support structure 50 on the mat system 52. For
example, the first
support connection of the support structure may include the pivot members 106.
The modular
silo 28 is moved toward support structure 50 until pivot members 106 of silo
frame 56 engage
corresponding pivot members 108 of support structure 50 to form pivot
connectors 102. The
pivot connectors 102 provide a connection between the modular silo 28 and the
support
structure 50 which allows the modular silo 28 to be securely erected in a
controlled manner from
a lateral, e.g. horizontal, position to an operational, upright position. By
way of example, the
hydraulic ram 104 depicted in Figure 5 may be used to erect the modular silo
28 toward the
upright position.
[0059] Trucks 36 are used to deliver subsequent modular silos 28 to support
structure 50 until
the desired number of modular silos 28 is positioned at the well site 22 as
shown in Figure 7.
Each of the modular silos 28 is pivoted to the upright position on silo
receiving regions 54 of
support structure 50, as illustrated in Figure 7. After the modular silos 28
are mounted upright
on support structure 50, the modular silos 28 may be bolted or otherwise
further secured to
support structure 50. In some applications, the modular silos 28 also may be
tied to each other
to further stabilize the assembly. In the example illustrated, support
structure 50 supports
modular silos 28 at a sufficient height to receive a portable blending system
44 in the drive
under region or passage 84. In this example, feeders of the modular silos 28
may be positioned
to discharge the oilfield material into the passage 84. Additionally, enclosed
conveyor systems
30 may be connected to the inlet hoppers 66 of vertical conveyors 32. At this
stage, oilfield
material 62 may be delivered to the well site 22 and loaded into modular silos
28 via conveyors
30 and vertical conveyors 32.
[0060] It should be noted that in some applications, the external conveyor or
conveyors 30 have
a section with an exposed belt which allows oilfield material to be unloaded
via gravity from
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appropriately designed gravity feed trucks which are backed over the exposed
belt. The oilfield
material fed onto the belt is then conveyed into an enclosed section of the
conveyor 30 and
transported along an incline for release into at least one inlet 66 of a
corresponding modular silo
28.
[0061] The arrangement and components of the proppant delivery system 20 may
vary
substantially depending on the parameters of a given fracturing operation. The
modular silos 28
may be used individually or in groups of modular silos securely mounted on the
support
structure 50. The modular silos may be mounted at a sufficient height to
direct outflowing oilfield
material through an outflow feeder positioned at the bottom of the enclosed
interior and into the
passage 84. In other applications, the feeders may be positioned to direct
outflow of oilfield
material from a higher compartment within the modular silo 28. In some
applications, the
modular silos 28 may comprise an enclosed interior divided into a plurality of
compartments for
holding different types of oilfield material that may be selectively metered
to the blender system
44 for blending into a desired mixture which is then pumped downhole into the
wellbore.
[0062] Additionally, various belt conveyors or other types of conveyors may be
enclosed to
deliver oilfield material from the unload area to the upright, modular silos
28. The modular silos
28 also may incorporate a variety of vertical conveyors for lifting the
oilfield material to an upper
discharge region of the modular silos 28. Various arrangements of upright
modular silos 28
enable storage of a substantial quantity of oilfield materials that may be
readily supplied for use
in a fracturing operation. The upright arrangement of modular silos 28 also
provides for an
efficient use of well site space. In addition to the space efficiency, the
enclosed system for
storing and delivering oilfield material provides a clean well site
substantially free of dust
production. However, depending on the specifics of a given fracturing
operation, various
numbers and arrangements of modular silos 28, conveyors 30 and 32, blending
systems 44,
and other well site equipment may be employed.
[0063] The support structure 50 and the mat system 52 also may be constructed
in various
forms and configurations depending on the parameters of the desired fracturing
operation. For
example, the support structure 50 may be constructed from many types of strut
configurations,
combinations of struts and other structural components, and/or structural
walls or other devices
to support the modular silos 28. In some applications, the support structure
50 may be
constructed as an A-frame or truncated A-frame. The support structure 50 also
may be
constructed as a single connected unitary support structure or as a plurality
of sub support
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structures which may be separated to accommodate separation of individual
modular silos 28
and/or separation of groups of modular silos 28. Similarly, the mat system 52
may be
constructed with a variety of materials and in a variety of configurations
depending on the
parameters of the fracturing operation and on the characteristics of the
corresponding
equipment, e.g. modular silos 28, blending systems 44, and other equipment
which facilitate the
hydraulic fracturing.
[0064] Shown in Figures 10-17, is a mobile support structure 200 for
supporting one or more
modular silos 28 in accordance with the present disclosure. Figure 10 shows
the mobile support
structure 200 in a transport configuration in which the mobile support
structure 200 is configured
to be transported on roadways by being pulled behind a truck 201. Figure 11,
on the other hand,
shows the mobile support structure 200 in the process of being converted into
an operational
configuration for supporting one or more of the modular silos 28 while
attached to the truck 201.
Figure 12 shows the mobile support structure 200 in the operational
configuration and detached
from the truck 201. In general, the mobile support structure 200 may be
designed to comply with
various state and federal regulations for transport over the highways. In this
regard, the mobile
support structure 200 may have a width and a height of less than about 14 feet
and a length
less than 53 feet.
[0065] In the example shown, the mobile support structure 200 is provided with
a support base
202, a frame structure 204, a gooseneck portion 206 and a plurality of wheels
208 for
supporting the support base 202, the frame structure 204 and the gooseneck
portion 206. The
gooseneck portion 206 of the mobile support structure 200 can be attached to
the truck 201
such that the truck 201 can move the mobile support structure 200 between
various locations
such as wellsites. As will be explained in more detail below, the mobile
support structure 200 is
designed to be transported to a wellsite, and then set up to support one or
more of the modular
silos 28. In the example shown, the mobile support structure 200 is designed
to support up to
four modular silos 28 (as shown in Figure 1). However, it should be understood
that the mobile
support structure 200 can be designed to support more or less of the modular
silos 28
depending upon state and federal regulations determining the size of the
mobile support
structure 200 as well as the width and/or size of the modular silos 28.
[0066] The support base 202 is provided with a first end 220, a second end
222, a top surface
224 and a bottom surface (not shown). The frame structure 204 is connected to
the support
base 202. The frame structure 204 extends above the support base 202 to define
a passage
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230 generally located between the top surface 224 and the frame structure 204.
The frame
structure 204 has at least one silo receiving region 232 sized and configured
to receive at least
one of the modular silo 28. In the example shown, the frame structure 204 has
four silo
receiving regions 232 with each of the silo receiving regions 232 designed to
support one of the
modular silos 28.
[0067] The gooseneck portion 206 extends from the first end 220 of the support
base 202 and
is configured to connect to the truck 210 as discussed above. The axles 208
can be located
proximate to the second end 222 of the support base 202 as shown in Figure 10,
for example.
In the example shown in Figure 10, the mobile support structure 200 is
provided with two axles.
However, it should be understood that more than two axles can be used and
positioned at
various locations relative to the support base 202 to support the components
of the mobile
support structure 200.
[0068] As shown in Figure 10, the mobile support structure 200 is also
provided with a first
expandable base 240 and a second expandable base 242 to provide further
lateral support to
the modular silos 28 to prevent the modular silos 28 from falling over. In the
example shown, the
support base 202 is provided with a first side 244 and a second side 246. The
first expandable
base 240 is positioned on the first side 244 of the support base 202 and the
second expandable
base 242 is positioned on the second side 246 of the support base 202.
[0069] The first and second expandable bases 240 and 242 may be movably
connected to at
least one of the frame structure 204 and the support base 202 via a mechanical
linkage 248 so
that the first and second expandable bases 240 and 242 may be selectively
positioned between
a travel position as shown in Figure 10 and a support position as shown in
Figure 11. In the
travel position shown in Figure 10, the first and second expandable bases 240
and 242 extend
substantially vertically and adjacent to the frame structure 204 so as to be
within acceptable
size limits for transporting the mobile support structure 200 on public roads
and highways.
However, in the support position shown in Figure 11, the first and second
expandable bases
240 and 242 extend substantially horizontally from the frame structure 204 to
provide additional
lateral support for the modular silos 28.
[0070] In one embodiment, the support base 202 is provided with a linkage (not
shown)
supported by the wheels 208 for moving the support base 202 in a vertical
direction relative to
the wheels 208 between a travel position in which the support base 202 is
located above in a
lower portion 249 of the wheels 208 (as shown in Figure 10) and a support
position in which the
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support base 202 is positioned on the ground and at least a portion of the
support base 202 is
aligned with the lower portion 249 of the wheels 208. When the support base
202 is positioned
on the ground and the first and second expandable bases 240 and 242 are
positioned in the
support position, the support base 202 and the first and second expandable
bases 240 and 242
may be coplanar. Further, the support base 202 and the first and second
expandable bases 240
and 242 may be positioned on a pad to aid in stabilizing the support base 202
and the
expandable bases on the ground at the wellsite prior to erecting the modular
silos 28 onto the
mobile support structure 200. The support base 202 may provide support to the
one or more
silos in sub-optimal ground surface conditions.
[0071] The mechanical linkage 248 movably connecting the frame structure 204
and/or support
base 202 with the first and second expandable bases 240 and 242 can be
implemented in a
variety of manners. For example, the mechanical linkage 248 may be provided
with a first set of
hinges connecting the first expandable base 240 to the frame structure 204 and
a second set of
hinges connecting the second expandable base 242 to the frame structure 204.
To automate
the movement of the first and second expandable bases 240 and 242 between the
support
position and the travel position, the mechanical linkage 248 may be provided
with a first set of
actuators 260 and a second set of actuators 262. The first set of actuators
260 are connected to
the frame structure 204 and the first expandable base 240. The second set of
actuators 262 are
connected to the frame structure 204 and the second expandable base 242. In
general, the first
set of actuators 260 and the second set of actuators 262 are configured to
selectively move the
first and second expandable bases 240 and 242 between the support position and
the travel
position. The first and second sets of actuators 260 and 262 can be
constructed in a variety of
manners and may include a hydraulic cylinder, a pneumatic cylinder, or a
solenoid. In the
example shown, the first set of actuators 260 is provided with two actuators
and the second set
of actuators 262 is also provided with two actuators. However, it should be
understood that
more or less actuators can be provided within the first and second set of
actuators 260 and 262
depending upon the size of the actuators which are used.
[0072] Shown in Figure 11 is a diagram of the mobile support structure 200
having the first and
second expandable bases 240 and 242 positioned in the support position and
showing the
frame structure 204 more clearly than in Figure 10. The frame structure 204 is
provided with a
plurality of frames 270 which are interconnected with a plurality of struts
272. In the example
shown, the frame structure 204 is provided with four frames 270 (which are
labeled in Figure 11
with reference numerals 270-1, 270-2, 270-3 and 270-4. However, it should be
understood that
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frame structure 204 may include more than four frames 270 or less than four
frames 270. In the
example shown, each of the frames 270 positioned in parallel and substantially
identical in
construction and function. For this reason, only one of the frames 270 will be
described in detail
hereinafter.
[0073] The frame 270-1, for example, is provided with a top member 280, a
bottom member
282, and two side members 284 and 286 that are connected to form a closed
structure
surrounding at least a portion of the passage 230. The bottom member 282 is
positioned within
a passageway (not shown) extending through the support base 202 and is
connected to the
side members 284 and 286 to maintain the side members 284 and 286 a fixed
distance apart.
As shown in Figure 11, the side members 284 and 286, and top member 280 may be
shaped
and connected to form an arch shape so as to increase the structural strength
of the frame 270-
1. The top member 280 is provided with an apex 290 which may be centrally
located between
the side members 284 and 286. The top member 280 includes a first leg 292 and
a second leg
294 which are connected together at the apex 290. The first leg 292 is
connected to the side
member 284 and the second leg 294 is connected to the side member 286. The top
member
280 may also be provided with a support beam 296 so as to increase the
strength of the top
member 280. In particular, the support beam 296 reinforces the first leg 292
and the second leg
294 to prevent the first leg 292 from deflecting relative to the second leg
294 and vice-versa
when the modular silos 28 are being supported. The frame 270-1 can be made of
any suitably
strong and durable material to be able to support the load from the modular
silos 28. For
example, the top member 280, a bottom member 282, and two side members 284 and
286 may
be constructed of pieces of tubular steel that are connected together using
any suitable
technique, such as mechanical fastening techniques utilizing combinations of
bolts, plates and
welds.
[0074] The frames 270-1 and 270-2 are connected by the struts 272 and are
adapted to jointly
support two modular silos 28. Likewise, the frames 270-3 and 270-4 are
connected by the struts
and are adapted to jointly support two modular silos 28 as shown in Figure 17.
In particular, the
frames 270-1 and 270-2 form two silo receiving regions 232 of the mobile
support structure 200,
and the frames 270-3 and 270-4 form two other silo receiving regions 232.
Within each of the
silo receiving regions 232, the mobile support structure 200 is provided with
a first connection
300 and a second connection 302. The first connection 300 within each of the
silo receiving
regions 232 is located at the apex 290 of the frames 270-1-4. The second
connection 302 within
each silo receiving region 232 is located on either the first expandable base
240 or the second
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expandable base 242 and at a lower elevation than the first connection 300 to
engage the silo
frame 56 when the modular silo 28 is on the trailer 37.
[0075] The first connection 300 within each of the silo receiving regions 232
includes a first
connector 306 and a second connector 308 that are configured to attach to the
silo frame 56 of
the modular silos 28. The second connection 302 within each of the silo
receiving regions 232
includes a first connector 310 and a second connector 312 that are configured
to attach to the
silo frame 56 of the modular silos 28. The first connector 310 and the second
connector 312 of
the second connection 302 are configured to connect to the silo frame 56 of
the modular silo 28
when the modular silo 28 is positioned on the trailer 37 as discussed above.
For example, as
shown in Figure 13, the trailer 37 can be backed to align the silo frame 56
with the first
connector 310 and the second connector 312 of the second connection 302. As
shown in
Figures 13 and 14, to aid in backing the trailer 37 to align the silo frame 56
with the first
connector 310 and the second connector 312 of the second connection 302,
alignment guides
320 may be provided on the first expandable base 240 and the second expandable
base 242
within each of the silo receiving regions 232.
[0076] In any event, once the silo frame 56 of the modular silo 28 to be
erected onto the mobile
support structure 200 is connected to the second connection 302, the modular
silo 28 may be
moved into the vertical position as discussed above using a ram, crane or
other suitable
mechanical assembly. When the modular silo 28 is in the vertical position, the
silo frame 56 is
connected to the frame structure 204 via the first connection 300 to maintain
the modular silo 28
securely on the mobile support structure 200.
[0077] Once the support base 202 and the first and second expandable bases 240
and 242
have been deployed to the support position, the truck 201 can be disconnected
from the
gooseneck portion 206 of the mobile support structure 200. Once the truck 201
has been
disconnected, the gooseneck portion 206 may be manipulated to lie on the
ground and be
generally co-planar with the support base 202. In this configuration, the
gooseneck portion 206
may form a ramp to aid the operator in positioning the blending system 44
within the passage
230 as shown in Figure 1. The gooseneck portion 206 may be provided with a
first section 320
and a second section 322. The first section 320 extends from the first end 220
of the support
base 202. The first section 320 has a first end 324 and a second end 326. The
first end 324 of
the first section 320 is movably connected to the support base 208, such as by
the use of a set
of hinges, voids and pins or other types of connectors which may be locked at
more than one
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position. The second section 322 is movably connected to the second end 326 of
the first
section 320. For example, the first section 320 may be a four bar linkage
which can be locked in
an elevated position to form the gooseneck, or a lowered position to form the
ramp
[0078] Shown in Figure 12 is the mobile support structure 200 in the
operational configuration.
In the operational configuration depicted in Figure 12, the modular silos 28
can be loaded onto
the mobile support structure 200, as shown for example, in Figures 1 and 13-
17, and the
blending system 44 can be positioned within the passage 230.
[0079] Shown in Figures 13-17 is an example in which a modular silo 28 is
being placed into
position on the mobile support structure 200. In this example, each individual
modular silo 28 is
transported to the well site 22 by the truck 36. As illustrated, the truck 36
may comprise the
tractor 98 pulling the trailer 100 appropriately sized to receive one of the
silos 28 in a lateral,
e.g. horizontal, orientation.
[0080] Each truck 36 may be backed up to move the laterally positioned modular
silo 28 into
engagement with a corresponding silo receiving region 232 of the mobile
support structure 200.
Additional guide rails may be designed into the first and second expandable
bases 240 and 242
to aid in the alignment of the silo trailer to the silo receiving region 232.
Furthermore to aid in the
proper alignment, the first and second expandable bases 240 and 242 may also
serve as a
reference elevation for the silo trailer.
[0081] As discussed above, the mobile support structure 200 may comprise the
second
connection 302 or other suitable structures located at an appropriate height
to receive and
engage each modular silo 28 when in the lateral position on the truck 36. By
way of example,
the mobile support structure 200 and the corresponding modular silos 28 may
use the first and
second connectors 310 and 312 by which the modular silo 28 may be selectively
engaged with
the mobile support structure 200. The first and second connectors 310 and 312
may be pivot
connectors that are positioned to allow engagement and connection of each
modular silo 28
with the mobile support structure 200 while the modular silo 28 is in a
lateral position on the
truck 36. The first and second connectors 310 and 312 also are designed to
maintain
engagement of the modular silo 28 with the mobile support structure 200 as the
modular silo 28
is pivoted from the lateral position to an operational upright, e.g. vertical,
orientation.
[0082] The modular silos 28 may be pivoted or moved about the first and second
connectors
310 and 312 from the lateral position on the truck 36 to the operational,
upright position on the
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support frame 204 of the mobile support structure 200 by a variety of
mechanisms. For
example, the ram 104 may be used to erect each modular silo 28 between the
lateral and
upright positions. The ram 104 may be a hydraulic or pneumatic ram positioned
on trailer 100 to
act against frame 56 of each modular silo 28 to pivot the modular silo 28
about the first and
second connectors 310 and 312 until the modular silo 28 is securely received
in its upright
position by the silo receiving region 232. The ram 104 may be designed to
operate off a
hydraulic (or pneumatic) system of the truck 36. In other applications, the
ram 104 may be
designed to pivot the trailer 100 or a portion of the trailer 100 upwardly
while the modular silo 28
remains attached to the pivoting portion of the trailer 100. Other techniques
may utilize cranes,
pulleys, and/or other mechanisms to pivot each modular silo 28 about the first
and second
connectors 310 and 312 as the modular silo 28 is transitioned from the lateral
position to the
operational, upright orientation.
[0083] The first and second connectors 310 and 312 are shown in more detail in
Figures 14 and
15. The first and second connectors 310 and 312 are used to facilitate
formation of the
connection between each modular silo 28 and the mobile support structure 200
and may
comprise a variety of individual or plural connector mechanisms. Generally,
each of the first and
second connectors 310 and 312 are designed to permit controlled movement of
the modular silo
28 relative to the mobile support structure 200. The first and second
connectors 310 and 312
may comprise a pivot member mounted to the silo 28 and a corresponding pivot
member
mounted on the mobile support structure 200, e.g. mounted on struts 330, as
illustrated in
Figures 14 and 15. In the specific example illustrated in Figures 14 and 15,
each modular silo 28
is pivotably engaged with the mobile support structure 200 via a pair of the
pivot members. By
way of example, each pivot member may comprise a pin rotatably, e.g.
pivotably, received in a
corresponding pin receiver of the pivot member. Although pin may be connected
to frame 56 of
modular silo 28 and pin receiver may be connected to pivot struts 330 of
support structure 50,
the pin and the pin receiver can be reversed. Additionally, the first and
second connectors 310
and 312 may comprise a variety of other structures designed to enable
selective engagement of
the modular silos 28 with the mobile support structure 200 and controlled
movement of the
modular silos 28 with respect to the mobile support structure 200. Depending
on the design of
the first and second connectors 310 and 312, a variety of retention features
such as an
expanded pin head may be used to maintain the pivotable connection between the
modular silo
28 and the mobile support structure 200 during transition of the modular silo
28 from the lateral
position to the upright position.
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[0084] The mobile support structure 200 may also be provided with other types
of equipment to
facilitate the handling of the oilfield material and/or the blending of the
oilfield material to form
the slurry as discussed above. For example, the mobile support structure 200
may be provided
with a power generation system 340 that is supported by the wheels 208. In
this embodiment,
the power generation system 340 may be utilized to generate electrical power
which may be
provided to the conveyors 30 and 32 as well as other equipment at the proppant
delivery system
20. The mobile support structure 200 may also be provided with a dry additives
feeder, power
sources, controls and controllers, a skid for supporting a blender system
integrated into the
support base 202. Further, the mobile support structure 200 may be provided
with weather
proofing to protect from the harsh environmental conditions. Further, the
mobile support
structure 200 may be provided with various sensors 116 positioned on the frame
structure 204
and/or on modular silos 28 to detect and/or monitor parameters related to the
delivery of oilfield
material 62 for a given fracturing operation. By way of example, the sensors
116 may comprise
four load cells in each silo receiving region 232 and may be part of the
connectors 306, 308,
310 and 312 to monitor the loads applied by individual modular silos 28. The
loading data may
be used to track the amount of oilfield material that remains in enclosed
interior 60 of each
modular silo 28 for inventory management purposes.
[0085] Shown in Figure 18 is a top plan view of the mobile support structure
200. The
connectors 306, 308, 310 and 312 may be arranged in a truncated triangle
configuration 350,
such as a trapezoid to enhance the stability of the modular silo 28 supported
within the silo
receiving region 232. Further, to aid in the support of the modular silo 28,
the combined
horizontal area of the support base 202, first expandable base 240 and second
expandable
base 242 is much larger than the horizontal area occupied by one of the
modular silos 28 when
installed on the mobile support structure 200. For example, a first horizontal
area 352 occupied
by one of the modular silos 28 when positioned in a vertical orientation is
shown in Figure 18.
As can be seen, the support base 202, first expandable base 240 and the second
expandable
base 242 occupy a combined second horizontal area that is at least one and a
half times as
large as the first horizontal area 352 and may be eight or ten times as large
as the first
horizontal area 352.
[0086] Shown in Figure 19 is a second embodiment of a mobile portable
structure 400, which is
similar in construction and function as the mobile portable structure 200,
with the exception that
the mobile portable structure 400 has an integrated blending system 410. The
integrated
blending system may be transported with the other components of the mobile
portable structure
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400 and provided on skids or tracks to be moved off of a support base 412 of
the mobile
portable structure 400.
[0087] Referring generally to Figures 20-21, shown therein is an embodiment of
a mobile oilfield
material transfer unit 450 constructed in accordance with the present
disclosure. The mobile
oilfield material transfer unit 450 may include a chassis 452, a horizontal
conveyor system 454
that may be referred to herein as a "second conveyor system 454", an erecting
mast assembly
456, and a first conveyor assembly 458.
[0088] The chassis 452 includes a support base 460 and a gooseneck portion
462. The chassis
452 may be configured to support the first conveyor assembly 458 and to be
pulled by a truck
36 to transport the first conveyor assembly 458 to any desired location such
as a well site. The
chassis 452 is coupled to the erecting mast assembly 456 and may further be
configured to
erect the first conveyor assembly 458 to an upright or vertical operational
position for conveying
oilfield material into a silo (which may be a modular silo), as discussed in
more detail with
reference to Figure 24. The chassis 452 may cooperate with the erecting mast
assembly 456 to
move the first conveyor assembly 458 from a horizontal or transport position
on the chassis 452
to an upright or vertical operational position. In some embodiments the
chassis 452 may also be
configured to be docked or otherwise aligned with a modular silo as will be
described below.
[0089] The chassis 452 is provided with a support base 460 having a first end
464 (e.g., a front
end) and a second end 466 (e.g., a rear end). The chassis 452 may also be
provided with a
support beam 468 extending between the first end 464 and the second end 466 of
the support
base 460, and a plurality of wheels 470 located at least partially underneath
the support beam
468 (e.g., proximate to the second end 466) and operably connected to the
support beam 468.
The wheels 470 may be connected to one or more axles, and may include
collapsible
suspensions in some embodiments of the instant disclosure, such that the
support base 460
may be positioned onto the ground when the suspension of the wheels 470 is
collapsed.
[0090] In the embodiment shown in Figures 20-21, the chassis 452 is provided
with two support
beams, e.g., 468-1 and 468-2, which are separated from one another by a gap
472 and may be
connected together to collectively form a support base 460 via one or more
transverse support
members 474 (Figure 21). The gap 472 extends longitudinally along the support
base 460
between the first end 464 and the second end 466. The support beams 468-1 and
468-2 may
be implemented as a steel beam, channel, I-beam, H-beam, wide flange,
universal beam, rolled
steel joist, or any other structure. In some embodiments of the present
disclosure a plurality of
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transverse support members 474 may be spaced a distance apart from one another
between
the first end 464 and the second end 466 of the support base 460, while
extending between the
support beams 468-1 and 468-2.
[0091] The gooseneck portion 462 extends from the first end 464 of support
base 460 and is
configured to connect the chassis 452 to a truck such as the truck 36, such as
via a suitable
trailer hitch, for example. Once the truck 36 has been disconnected from the
gooseneck portion
462, the gooseneck portion 462 may be manipulated to lie on the ground and be
generally co-
planar with the support base 460 as shown in Figure 25. In this configuration,
the gooseneck
portion 462 may form a ramp to allow an oilfield material delivery truck or
trailer to be driven
over or backed onto the support base 460. For example, the gooseneck portion
462 may be
provided with a first section 476 and a second section 478. The first section
476 may extend
from the first end 464 of the support base 460. The first section 476 has a
first end 480 and a
second end 482. The first end 480 of the first section 476 is movably
connected to the support
base 460, such as by the use of a set of hinges, voids and pins or other types
of connectors
which may be locked at more than one position. The second section 478 is
movably connected
to the second end 482 of the first section 476. For example, the first section
476 may be a four
bar linkage which can be locked in an elevated position to form the gooseneck
portion 462, or a
lowered position to form a ramp. Any desired trailer hitch such as a gooseneck
hitch having a
structure known in the art as a "kingpin", for example, may be implemented to
connect the
gooseneck portion 462 to the truck 36 as will be appreciated by persons of
ordinary skill in the
art having the benefit of the instant disclosure.
[0092] The second conveyor system 454 can be implemented as any suitable
conveyor-belt
type transloader or auger, and may be associated with the support base 460 so
that the second
conveyor system 454 is positioned at least partially in the gap 472 between
the support beams
468-1 and 468-2. In another embodiment, the second conveyor system 454 may be
pivotably
connected to the chassis 452 so as to move oilfield material towards the
second end 466 of the
chassis 452. In one embodiment, at least a portion of the second conveyor
system 454 extends
along a centerline of the support base 460 as shown in Figures 20-21. The
second conveyor
system 454 has a second conveyor 484 and a third conveyor 486. The second
conveyor 484
may be recessed in the gap 472 and positioned substantially horizontally such
that a top surface
of the second conveyor 484 is positioned level with or below a top surface of
the support beams
468-1 and 468-2, and is configured to allow an oilfield material transport
truck or trailer
positioned on the support base 460 to discharge, dump, or otherwise deposit a
volume of oilfield
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material onto the second conveyor 484 and to transport the volume of oilfield
material from the
first end 464 toward the second end 466 of the support base 460. In some
embodiments, the
second conveyor 484 may be positioned at a centerline of the support base
460.The third
conveyor 486 is positioned between the second conveyor 484 and the second end
466 of the
chassis 452 and is configured to receive a volume of oilfield material from
the second conveyor
484 and to transport the oilfield material towards the second end 466. As will
be appreciated by
persons of ordinary skill in the art, the second conveyor system 454 may
include an auger, a
conveyor belt with a smooth surface, or with cleated features for oilfield
material transfer (e.g., in
the third conveyor 486). Further, in some embodiments the second conveyor 484
may be open,
and the third conveyor 486 may be enclosed, as will be appreciated by a person
of ordinary skill
in the art having the benefit of the instant disclosure. The third conveyor
486 may positioned at
an upwardly inclined (non-zero, positive angle) with respect to the second
conveyor 484.
[0093] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, second conveyor system
454 may be
pivotably connected with the support base 460 and/or the chassis 452 such that
the second
conveyor system 454 can be pivoted laterally from the support base 460 at any
desired angle as
shown in Figure 24 below.
[0094] The erecting mast assembly 456 may include a mast 488 supported by the
chassis 452,
and an actuator system 490 engaging the mast 488 and the chassis 452. The
erecting mast
assembly 456 is configured to lay flat onto the support base 460 (e.g., onto
the support beams
468-1 and 468-2) when the chassis 452 is transported, and to clear the second
conveyor
system 454 when the erecting mast assembly 456 is deployed to the upright or
vertical
operational position. The range of motion of the erecting mast assembly 456
may extend from
horizontal to slightly past vertical (e.g., more than a 90 degree range of
motion) when deployed
to account for angular misalignment due to ground height differences. The
erecting mast
assembly 456 may be formed from steel tubing, beam, channel, I-beam, H-beam,
wide flange,
universal beam, rolled steel joist, or any other material.
[0095] The mast 488 may be supported by the support beams 468-1 and 468-2 of
the chassis
452 proximate to the second end 466 of the chassis 452. The mast 488 is
configured to support
the first conveyor assembly 458 and to be moved between a horizontal position
(Figure 20) and
a vertical position (Figure 21) by the actuator system 490 to raise the first
conveyor assembly
458 to the vertical position and to associate the first conveyor assembly 458
with a modular silo
as will be described with reference to Figure 24 below.
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[0096] The mast 488 may be provided with a frame 492 including a first end
494, a second end
496, a first support beam 498-1 extending between the first end 494 and the
second end 496,
and a second support beam 498-2 extending between the first end 494 and the
second end
496. The first and second support beams 498-1 and 498-2 may be spaced apart in
a parallel
orientation and configured to jointly support the first conveyor assembly 458
as will be described
below.
[0097] The actuator system 490 engages the mast 488 and at least one of the
support beams
468-1 and 486-2 of the chassis 452 to move the mast 488 in an arc-shaped path
for moving the
first conveyor assembly 458 between the horizontal and vertical positions. As
shown in Figures
20 and 21, the actuator system 490 may include a plurality of actuators 500-1
and 500-2
working in concert to move the mast 488 from the lateral position to the
vertical position.
However, it will be understood that the actuator system 490 may be implemented
as a single
actuator 500 or any number of actuators 500. The actuator(s) 500 may be
implemented as
hydraulic actuators, pneumatic actuators, electrical actuators, mechanical
actuators, or any
suitable mechanism capable of moving the mast 488 into the vertical position.
[0098] The first conveyor assembly 458 may be implemented as an enclosed
vertical bucket
elevator or an auger (e.g., not using airflow to carry the oilfield material),
and may include a first
conveyor 502 and a support frame 504 which is movably connected to the mast
488 of the
erecting mast assembly 456 so that the first conveyor 502 is movable between a
horizontal
position where the first conveyor 502 lies flat onto the support base 460
during transport, and a
vertical position where the first conveyor 502 is oriented vertically for
transporting a volume or
oilfield material into one or more modular silos. In some embodiments, the
first conveyor 502
may be implemented and may function similarly to the vertical conveyor 32
described above.
[0099] As shown in Figure 22, the support frame 504 may be movably connected
to the mast
488 via one or more mechanical linkages 506 attached to the mast 488 and one
or more
actuators 508 configured to slide, or otherwise move the support frame 504
relative to the first
end 494 of the mast 488 within a predetermined range. In some embodiments the
actuators 508
may be implemented as hydraulic or pneumatic actuators. It is to be understood
that the
mechanical linkages 506 may be implemented in a variety of manners, such as
rails (as shown
in Figure 22) hydraulic or pneumatic arms, gears, worm gear jacks, cables, or
combinations
thereof.
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[00100] Referring now to Figures 23-24, the first conveyor 502 may include
an inlet 510
and an upper discharge portion 512. The inlet 510 may be positioned proximate
and/or below
the third conveyor 486 of the second conveyor system 454 such that a volume of
oilfield
material transported via the third conveyor 486 of the second conveyor system
454 enters the
first conveyor 502 via the inlet 510.
[00101] The upper discharge portion 512 may include a discharge chute 514
which may
be a dual-discharge chute configured to fill two or more modular silos 516
simultaneously, such
as by having two or more outlets 517 operably coupled with two or more
receiving chutes 518 of
the modular silos 516, for example. In some embodiments, the discharge chute
514 may include
a built-in diverter valve 520 (e.g., a three-position diverter valve) to allow
the discharge chute
514 to fill one, two, or more than two modular silos 516 as will be
appreciated by persons of
ordinary skill in the art. The discharge chute 514 can interface, or otherwise
be coupled with the
receiving chutes 518 of the modular silos 516 in any desired manner protected
from rain and/or
moisture, for example, by including one or more rain-covers or shields.
[00102] As shown in Figure 23, the support frame 504 may include one or
more optional
silo-engaging members 522, which may be implemented as hooks, L-shaped
protrusions,
flanges, or combinations thereof, for example. The silo-engaging members 522
may be
configured to engage corresponding frame-attachment members 524 formed in the
modular
silo(s) 516, such that the support frame 504 and the first conveyor 502 may be
securely
attached, or otherwise associated with the modular silo(s) 516. As will be
appreciated by
persons of ordinary skill in the art, the silo-engaging members 522 and/or the
frame-attachment
members 524 may be omitted in some embodiments of the present disclosure.
[00103] Referring back to Figure 20, in some embodiments an optional power
supply
system 526 may be implemented with the mobile oilfield material transfer unit
450, and may be
configured to power the actuator system 490, the first conveyor 502, and the
actuators 508.
However, in some embodiments the power supply system 526 may be omitted, and
the actuator
system 490, the first conveyor assembly 458, and the actuators 508 may be
powered by any
desired power source, such as a power source associated with the modular silos
516, a
separate generator, an electrical line connected to a grid or to a local power
source, and
combinations thereof. In some embodiments where the power supply system 526 is
provided
with the mobile oilfield material transfer unit 450, the power supply system
526 is desirably sized
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and positioned onto the support base 460 so as to not interfere with the
operation and
movement of the erecting mast assembly 456 and the second conveyor system 454.
[00104] Referring now to Figure 25, in operation a mobile oilfield material
transfer unit
450 may function as follows: the truck 36 backs up the chassis 452 proximate
to one or more
modular silo 516 (e.g., a cooperating unit of two or more modular silos 516).
When the truck 36
has been disconnected from chassis 452, the gooseneck portion 462 may be
manipulated to lie
on the ground and be generally co-planar with the support base 460 to form a
ramp to allow an
oilfield material transport trailer 528 to be driven over or backed onto the
support base 460. The
erecting mast assembly 456 is raised to the vertical position so as to raise
the first conveyor
assembly 458 to the vertical position as well. The actuators 508 may be
operated to raise the
first conveyor 502 to the upper limit of the predetermined range of movement
of the actuators
508, by moving the support frame 504 relative to the first end 494 of the mast
488 (e.g., along
the mechanical linkage 506). The position of the chassis 452 relative to the
modular silo(s) 516
may be adjusted as needed (e.g., in three-dimensions, such as by moving the
chassis 452, by
docking or otherwise aligning the second end 466 of the chassis 452 with the
modular silo(s)
516, and/or by collapsing a suspension of the chassis 452 to position the
discharge chute 514 to
engage with the receiving chutes 518. The actuators 508 may be operated to
lower the first
conveyor 502 over the modular silo(s) 516 such that the discharge chute 514
engages the
receiving chutes 518. Optionally, lowering the first conveyor 502 may also
cause the silo-
engaging members 522 to engage with the corresponding frame-attachment members
524,
such that the support frame 504 of the first conveyor assembly 458 is securely
attached, or
otherwise associated with the modular silo(s) 516 causing the discharge chutes
514 to be
aligned with the receiving chutes 518 of the modular silo(s).
[00105] The oilfield material transport trailer 528 may be backed over the
chassis 452,
such that discharge openings (not shown) of the oilfield material transport
trailer 528 are
positioned over and vertically aligned with the second conveyor 484 of the
second conveyor
system 454. As a volume of oilfield material is dumped, discharged, or
otherwise deposited
(e.g., under gravity) on the second conveyor system 454, the oilfield material
is moved by the
second conveyor 484 towards the third conveyor 486. The third conveyor 486 is
optional in that
the second conveyor 484 may convey the oilfield material directly to the first
conveyor 502. The
third conveyor 486 continues moving the volume of oilfield material towards
the second end 466
of the chassis 452. Once the volume of oilfield material reaches the first
conveyor 502, the
oilfield material enters the inlet 510 of the first conveyor 502. The volume
of oilfield material is
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carried upward by the first conveyor 502 and is deposited into the modular
silos 516 via the
discharge chute 514 and the receiving chutes 518.
[00106] In some embodiments of the present disclosure, second conveyor
system 454
may be pivoted laterally from the support base 460 at any desired angle, and
the oilfield
material transport trailer 528 may be positioned over the second conveyor
system 454 without
being backed over the chassis 452 as shown in Figure 24, as will be
appreciated by persons of
ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the present disclosure.
[00107] Referring now to Figure 26, in another embodiment, the second
conveyor system
454 includes a pivoting conveyor assembly 530 rather than the discharge chute
514. The
pivoting conveyor assembly 530 includes a conveyor 532 that may be attached to
a housing
and/or support frame extending around the first conveyor 502 with a horizontal
adjustment
assembly and a vertical adjustment assembly. The horizontal adjustment
assembly may include
a mechanical linkage with one pivot connection or multiple pivot connections
working in concert
to provide a range of motion of the conveyor 532 in a horizontal path that may
be approximately
within a range from 0 degrees to 180 degrees as shown by an arrow 534. The
conveyor
assembly 530 may also include a vertical adjustment assembly (not shown)
including a
mechanical linkage to provide a range of motion of the conveyor 532 in a
horizontal path that
may be within a range from 0 degrees to 120 degrees as shown by an arrow 536.
The
horizontal and vertical adjustment assemblies may include one or more
actuators to effect
controlled motion in the horizontal and vertical paths discussed above.
[00108] The horizontal and vertical adjustment assemblies provides movement
between
a stowed position where the conveyor 532 extends substantially parallel to the
first conveyor
502, and an extended position where the conveyor 532 extends laterally away
from the first
conveyor 502. The conveyor 532 may be implemented as an auger, or an enclosed
two-way
conveyor belt in some embodiments of the present disclosure, and may be
pivoted by one or
more actuators (not shown). The conveyor 532 may function similarly to the
discharge chute
514, and may be coupled with one or more receiving chutes 518 of the modular
silo(s) 516
similarly to the discharge chute 514. For example, the conveyor 532 may be
coupled with one or
more of the receiving chutes 518 in a manner protecting the receiving chutes
518 from rain or
moisture, such as via one or more rain covers or shields, for example. As will
be appreciated by
persons of ordinary skill in the art, the pivoting conveyor assembly 530
allows the chassis 452 to
be positioned at any desired angle, orientation, or position relative to the
modular silo(s) 516,
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such as parallel, angled, or perpendicular, for example. Further, when the
pivoting conveyor
assembly 530 is implemented, the support frame 504 may or may not be attached
to the silo(s)
via the silo-engaging members 522.
[00109] As will be appreciated by persons of ordinary skill in the art
having the benefit of
the present disclosure, a mobile oilfield material transfer unit 450 according
to embodiments of
the present disclosure utilizes a first conveyor which is external from the
silos, and is
transported to any desired location and coupled with one or more silos in
situ. Further, the
chassis 452 or a mobile oilfield material transfer unit 450 according to the
inventive concepts
disclosed herein forms a ramp allowing oilfield material transport trailers
528 to be backed onto
the chassis 452 and deposit oilfield material onto the second conveyor system
454 of the mobile
oilfield material transfer unit 450. The mobile oilfield material transfer
unit 450 may allow for
flexible positioning and for quick and efficient transfer of oilfield material
into modular silos 516
on location. Further, removing the vertical conveyor from the silo (e.g., the
first conveyor being
external to the silo) increases available silo volume. It is to be understood,
however, that in
some embodiments, an external first conveyor as disclosed herein may be used
with modular
silos including internal vertical elevators, for example.
[00110] Although a few embodiments of the disclosure have been described in
detail
above, those of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate that many
modifications are
possible without materially departing from the teachings of this disclosure.
Accordingly, such
modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this disclosure
as defined in the
claims.
33
