Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Use of Ionized Fluid in Hydraulic Fracturing
Cross-Reference to Related Applications
This application is a continuation in part of U.S. Application Serial No.
14/095,346, filed
December 3, 2013, which is a continuation of U.S. Application Serial No.
13/832,759, filed
March 15, 2013, which is a continuation in part of U.S. Application Serial No.
13/594,497 filed
August 24, 2012, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional App. No.
61/676,628, filed July 27,
2012. This application claims priority to all the previously listed
applications and also claims
priority to U.S. Divisional Application Serial No. 13/753,310, filed on
January 29, 2013.
Background of the Invention
The hydraulic fracturing of oil wells was started in the late Nineteen Forties
as a means of
oil well stimulation when trying to extend the economic life of a depleting
oil well. Most oil
wells, at that time, were driven vertically. The placement of shaped explosive
charges, in thin
wall casings, was limited to these explosive charges being placed in
predetermined, hydrocarbon
pay zones, and mostly in sand formations. The shaped explosive charges were
ignited to create
fissures or channels in these zones. A mixture of pressurized water and sand
is pumped into the
wellbore as a means of well stimulation.
This practice of well stimulation continues in vertically driven wells to this
day. It wasn't
until Mitchell Energy, in the mid- nineteen nineties utilized two newly
developed technologies,
changed the way unconventional, insitu hydrocarbon shale could be produced
economically. The
first new technology utilized was the development of steerable and
controllable drilling
techniques that could change the direction of a drill bit going in a vertical
direction and rotating
it into a horizontal direction. This rotation could be accomplished with a
reasonably short
bending radius and the drill bit could then continue to drill horizontally for
a considerable
distance into the shale formation.
The second technology that was needed involved the development of higher
pressure
fracturing pumps that were capable of achieving water pressures in the range
of nine thousand
to ten thousand pounds per square inch range at the surface. The answer was
the development of
fracturing pumps that could achieve these pressure levels with positive
displacements. Both
technologies are essential for the economic extraction of hydrocarbon gases
and liquids in hard
and soft shale formations. Companies today are producing gaseous and liquid
hydrocarbons and
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use mostly chemical products to control the growth of micro-organisms. These
could eventually
migrate into potable water aquifers.
Currently, it is common practice to kill micro-organisms that are in the water
mixture,
either initially or insitu, by chemical or other types of biocides, so that
the gaseous and liquid
hydrocarbons that are trapped in the oil shale's matrix formation can flow
freely into the
channels and fissures vacated by the flow-back water mixture. Also, the
channels created by the
fracturing process must be kept open by the proppants that are initially
carried into the fissures in
the fracture zones by the injected water mixture. If the micro-organisms are
not killed they will
multiply, rapidly; and, if they remain in the fissures, they will grow and
reduce or entirely block
the flow hydrocarbons from these fissures. Another significant micro-organism
type problem is
the possible presence of a strain of microbes that have an affinity for
seeking out and digesting
any free sulfur or sulfur bearing compounds and producing hydrogen sulfides
that must be
removed from any product gas stream because it is a highly dangerous and
carcinogenic
material. All these types of micro-organisms must be destroyed if this type of
problem is to be
avoided.
In addition to the possibility of micro-organisms multiplying and blocking the
flow of
hydrocarbon product, the presence of dissolved solids in the water solution
can also be a problem
in the injected water mixture. They can deposit themselves as scale or
encrustations in the same
flow channels and fissures. These encrustations, if allowed to be deposited in
these channels, will
also reduce or block the flow of hydrocarbons to the surface. In order to
avoid this condition,
attempts are made in current industry practice to have the dissolved solids
coalesce and attach
themselves to the suspended or other colloidal particles present in the water
mixture to be
removed before injection in the well; however, those efforts are only partly
effective. See, e.g.
Denny, Dennis. (2012 March). Fracturing-Fluid Effects on Shale and Proppant
Embedment. JPT.
pp. 59-61. Kealser, Vic. (2012 April). Real-Time Field Monitoring to Optimize
Microbe Control.
JPT. pp. 30, 32-33. Lowry, Jeff, et al. (2011 December). Haynesville trial
well applies
environmentally focused shale technologies. World Oil. pp. 39-40, 42.
Rassenfoss, Stephen.
(2012 April). Companies Strive to Better Understand Shale Wells. JPT. pp. 44-
48. Ditoro, Lori
K. (2011). The Haynesville Shale. Upstream Pumping Solutions. pp. 31-33.
Walser, Doug.
(2011). Hydraulic Fracturing in the Haynesville Shale: What's Different?
Upstream Pumping
Solutions. pp. 34-36. Denney, Dennis. (2012 March). Stimulation Influence on
Production in the
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Haynesville Shale: A Playwide Examination. JPT. pp. 62-66. Denney, Dennis.
(2011 January).
Technology Applications. JPT. pp. 20, 22, 26. All of the above are
incorporated herein by
reference for all purposes.
In recent years, the oil industry has tried to develop a number of ways to
address these
concerns. The use of ultra violet light in conjunction with reduced amounts of
chemical biocide
has proven to be only partially effective in killing water borne micro-
organisms. This is also true
when also trying to use ultra-high frequency sound waves to kill micro-
organisms. Both these
systems, however, lack the intensity and strength to effectively kill all of
the water-borne micro-
organisms with only one weak short time residence exposure and with virtually
no residual
effectiveness. Both systems need some chemical biocides to effectively kill
all the water borne
micro-organisms that are in water. Also, some companies use low-frequency or
low-strength
electro-magnetic wave generators as biocide/coalescers; however, these too
have proven to be
only marginally effective.
Therefore, an object of further examples is to economically address and
satisfactorily
resolve some of the major environmental concerns that are of industry-wide
importance. Objects
of still further examples are to eliminate the need for brine disposal wells,
eliminate the use
of toxic chemicals as biocides for micro-organism destruction, or for scale
prevention, and the
recovery of all flow-back or produced water for reuse in subsequent hydraulic
fracturing
operations. Examples of the invention provide technically sound and
economically viable
solutions to many of the public safety issues that have concerned the industry
in hydraulic
fracturing.
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Summary of Examples of the Invention
Advantages of various examples of the present invention include the need for
less (or no)
disposal of brine water, since substantially all dissolved salts are coalesced
and converted into
suspended particles that are separated and incorporated with recovered
proppant and fines for
inclusion in a feed material for fusion by pyrolysis in a rotary kiln.
Similarly, examples of the
invention eliminate the need for chemical biocides since the high intensity,
variable, ultra-high
frequency electromagnetic wave generator kills the micro-organisms that are
present in water
before water is injected into the formation. The electromagnetic wave also
prevents the
formation of scale encrustations; therefore, there is no need to add scale
inhibitors to the
fracturing water mixture. As a result, substantially all the flow-back water
from a fracturing
operation is reused with all the remaining solid materials being recycled and
reconstituted into
appropriately-constituted and properly sized proppants for subsequent use in
fracturing
operations. In addition, since volatile organic compounds are burned and
vaporized, there is no
need for any sludge or other types of solid waste disposal facilities.
According to one aspect of the invention, a system for use in well fracturing
operations is
provided, comprising: a first separator including a slurry intake and a slurry
output with a first
water content; a second separator having a slurry input, positioned to receive
slurry from the
slurry output of the first separator, and a slurry output with a second, lower
water content; a kiln
positioned to receive the slurry output of the second separator and having an
output; a quench
positioned to receive slag from the output of the kiln; a crusher positioned
to receive quenched
slag from the quench; a mill positioned to receive crushed material from the
crusher; a first
screen positioned to receive milled material from the mill, the size of the
screen wherein the size
of the first screen determines the upper boundary of the proppant size; and a
second screen
positioned to receive material passed by the first screen, wherein the size of
the second screen
determines the lower boundary of the proppant size. In at least one example,
the system further
comprises a proppant storage silo positioned to receive proppant from between
the first and the
second screens. In a further example, the system also includes a blender
positioned to receive
proppant from the silo. In a more specific example, the first separator
includes a water output
and the system further includes: a water storage taffl( positioned to receive
water from the first
separator, a biocide coalescer positioned to receive water from the water
storage tank, the
coalescer having an output feeding the blender, and at least one fracture pump
receiving at least
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proppant and water from the blender, wherein the fracturing pump produces flow
in water for
well fracturing operations.
According to a further example of the invention, a method is provided for
creating a
proppant of a specific size from a slurry extracted from a fractured
hydrocarbon well, the method
comprising: separating water from the slurry, resulting in a slurry stream and
a liquid stream;
mixing the slurry stream with particulate, resulting in a feed material;
fusing proppant material in
the feed material; quenching the fused proppant material; breaking the fused
proppant material;
sizing the broken material for the specific size; and mixing broken material
that is not of the
specific size with the feed material. In some examples of the invention, the
method further
comprises extracting the slurry from the flow of produced fluid from a
hydrocarbon well,
wherein the produced fluid includes water and a slurry, wherein the separating
of the slurry
results in at least two streams, wherein one of the at least two streams
comprises a substantially
liquid stream of water and another of the at least two streams comprises the
slurry. Examples of
acceptable means for separating the slurry from a flow of produced fluid from
a hydrocarbon
well include a conventional three-phase separator.
In at least one example, the mixing comprises: injecting the solid stream into
a kiln; and
injecting particulate into the kiln, wherein the injection of the particulate
changes the viscosity of
a slagging material wherein the slagging material comprises the solid stream
and the injected
particulate. In a further example, the injecting particulate into the kiln is
dependent upon the
viscosity of the slagging material in the kiln wherein the injecting of the
particulate is increased
when the slagging material is too viscous for even flow in the kiln. In some
examples, the
injecting of the particulate is decreased when the slagging material viscosity
is so low that the
flow rate through the kiln is too fast for fusing of proppant material.
In a further example, the quenching comprises spraying the fused proppant
material with
the liquid stream and the breaking comprises: crushing the quenched proppant
material and
grinding the crushed proppant material.
In still another example the sizing comprises screening and/or weight-
separating.
In some examples, the fusing comprises heating the slagging material wherein
volatile
components in the slagging material are released in a gas phase and proppant
material in the
slagging material is fused. In some such examples, the rate of flow of the
fused material
outputting a kiln is measured, and the heating in the kiln is adjusted, based
on the measuring.
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In yet another example, the method further includes separating the slurry from
a flow of
produced fluid from a hydrocarbon well, wherein the produced fluid includes
water and solids,
wherein said separating the slurry results in at least two streams, and
wherein one of the at least
two streams comprises a substantially liquid stream of water and another of
the at least two
streams comprises the slurry. In at least one such example, the method also
includes imparting an
electromagnetic pulse to the substantially liquid stream of water, wherein
proppant is mixed with
the substantially liquid stream of water before or after the imparting.
According to a further aspect of the of the invention, a system is provided
for creating a
range of proppant of specific sizes from a slurry extracted from a fractured
hydrocarbon well, the
system comprising: means for separating water from the slurry, resulting in a
slurry stream and a
liquid stream; means for mixing the slurry stream with particulate, resulting
in a feed material;
means for fusing proppant material in the feed material; means for quenching
the fused proppant
material; means for breaking the fused proppant material; means for sizing the
broken material
for the specific size; and means for mixing broken material that is not of the
specific size with
the feed material. In at least one example, the means for mixing broken
material that is not of the
specific size comprises the means for fusing.
An example of the means for separating includes at two-phase separation taffl(
with a
funnel at a lower end with a conduit leading to the input to an auger. A two-
phase separation
taffl( uses the principle of gravity-precipitating unit (with or without
baffles). An alternative to a
gravity-precipitation unit is a pressurized taffl( from a hydrocone system
forcing slurry to a feed-
hopper with an auger.
In a further example, the means for mixing the slurry stream with particulate
comprises:
means for injecting the slurry stream into a kiln; and means for injecting
particulate into the kiln,
wherein the injection of the particulate changes the viscosity of a slagging
material and wherein
the slagging material comprises the slurry stream and the injected
particulate. One example of
useful a means for injecting the slurry stream into the kiln include: an auger
from the means for
separating to a kiln feed-hopper. As the auger advances the slurry stream
toward the hopper more
water comes off. Alternatives include a flight conveyor belt, a bucket
conveying system, and
others that will occur to those of skill in the art. Specific examples of
useful means for injecting
sand into the kiln include: a bucket-elevator conveyor with a variable drive
bringing particulate
(e.g. sand) from a silo where the specified sand resides. The variable drive
allows changing of
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the amount of sand depending on the temperature measured at the exit of the
kiln. The
temperature is related to viscosity. For example, as temperature varies around
some set point of
about 2200 F, feed of sand will be increased as temperature drops. It will be
decreased as
temperature rises. In a more specific example, no change will be made for a
variation of about
5%, while, over 5%, the amount of variation will cause increase or decrease in
an amount that is
dependent on the particular kiln, proppant solid feed, and other conditions
that will occur to
those of skill in the art. Other examples of means for injecting include a
belt conveyor or flight
conveyor and other equivalents that will occur to those of skill in the art.
In a further example, the means for quenching comprises means for spraying the
fused
proppant material with the liquid stream that was separated from the slurry
(e.g., with nozzles
and/or a water wall). A further alternative for cooling the material would be
air quenching. In at
least one example, the hot solids mixture from a kiln is deposited onto a
moving, perforated steel
conveyor belt, which is placed over a water collection pan. Water is applied
to the mixture while
on the belt.
In still a further example, the means for breaking comprises: means for
crushing the
quenched proppant material; and means for grinding the crushed proppant
material. In one such
example, the means for crushing comprises a crusher having the following
specifications: an
eccentric gyratory crusher (conical) so that the crushing space can be varied
to obtain various
sizes. Alternative crushers include: jaw crushers, roller crushers, ball
crushers, and other
equivalents that will occur to those of skill in the art. In some examples,
the crusher reduces a
solidified, agglomerated mixture into pieces having a size range of about 1/4
inch to about 1/2 inch.
In some examples, the means for grinding comprises a grinder of the following
type: a
rod mill, a ball mill, an autogenous mill, bowl mill, and other equivalents
that will occur to those
of skill in the art. In at least some such examples, crushed material is moved
by conveyor and
discharged into a mixing/grinding unit where the materials are reduced in
size; in at least one
example, 98-99% of the material passes through a #30 sleeve opening of about
590 microns, and
the passes material is similar in size and strength to sharp, fine sand.
In some examples, the means for sizing comprises a screener having at least
one screen.
An example of a screener that is acceptable is a vibrating screen. If the
material passes the
screen, it is classified as "specification size." If it is too small, it drops
out to an undersized feed
that is fed back to the input of the hopper of the kiln. If it is too large,
it is separated into an
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oversized feed that is provided to the hopper at the input of the kiln. In at
least one example, the
over and undersized streams are combined before they are injected into the
kiln. Other
acceptable means for sizing includes fixed screens, rotating screens, and
means for weight-
separating (e.g., a cyclone through which broken material passes and/or
specific gravity
separation in liquid solution). Examples of acceptable cyclones will occur to
those of skill in the
art. Another acceptable means for separating includes specific gravity
separation in liquid
solution. Acceptable separation systems of that type will occur to those of
skill in the art.
According to a further example, the means for fusing comprises means for
heating the
slagging material wherein volatile components in the slagging material are
released in a gas
phase and proppant material in the slagging material is fused. One example of
such a means for
heating the slagging material includes a slagging rotary kiln, an inclined
rotary kiln, and a
horizontal kiln with both direct and indirect firing capabilities. Alternative
means for fusing
proppant material in the feed material include: a non-slagging kiln, a
vertical furnace (e.g. a
Hershoff furnace, a Pacific, multi-hearth, vertical furnace), a horizontal
traveling grate sintering
furnace, and other equivalents that will occur to those of skill in the art.
In some examples, the
kiln operation involves feeding the slurry materials into the kiln and adding
proppant to start the
process of fusing the slurry material and proppant together into a flowing
agglomerate material
mass. As the mixture moves down to the kiln discharge port, the temperature of
the mixture
increases due to the heat being generated by the kiln's burner. At the same
time, the viscosity of
the mixture decreases as the temperature increases. During this same period of
time, the organic
materials which are carried in the mixture are burned, vaporized, and
discharged into a vent
stack, leaving a flowing solids material mixture. The viscosity of this
flowing mixture is adjusted
by either increasing or decreasing the heat released by the kiln's burner, or
by adding more or
less proppant to the mixture, or both.
Some examples of the invention also include means for measuring the rate of
flow of the
fused material outputting the kiln. Examples of means for measuring the flow
of the fused
material outputting the kiln includes a temperature sensor providing a signal.
Other equivalent
means will occur to those of skill in the art. A means for adjusting the
heating in the kiln based
on the measuring is provided in still other embodiments. Examples of means for
adjusting the
heating in the kiln based on the measuring include: changing the flow of
proppant input into the
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kiln, based on the temperature measurement, and changing the rate of fuel flow
to the kiln burner
to increase or decrease the amount of heat being released in the kiln.
As mentioned above, the separating of the slurry from the flow from a well
results in at
least two streams, wherein one of the at least two streams comprises a
substantially liquid stream
of water. And, in a still more detailed example, a means for imparting an
electromagnetic pulse
to the substantially liquid stream of water is provided. At least one example
of a means for
imparting an electromagnetic pulse to the substantially liquid stream of water
is disclosed in U.S.
Patent No. 6,063,267, incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.
Alternatives to the
device described in that patent for use in various examples of the present
invention include:
traditional biocide/coalescers (chemical, electrical, and mechanical) as will
occur to those of skill
in the art.
In at least one example, the specific pulse imparted has the following
characteristics:
variable, ultra-high frequencies in the range of between about 10 and 80 kHz.
Other pulses
having sufficient frequency to kill the micro-organisms present in water and
to cause dissolved
solids to coalesce will occur to those of skill in the art and may depend on
the specific properties
of the water at a particular well. The pulse will generally rupture the cells
of the micro-
organisms.
In still a further example of the invention, a means for mixing proppant with
the substantially
liquid stream of water is provided (for mixing either before or after the
imparting). Examples of
means for mixing proppant with water included a blender as will occur to those
of skill in the art
(for example, a screen or open, grated tank). In some examples, surface
tension reducing agents
are also added in the blender, as are other components that will occur to
those of skill in the art.
The mixture is then provided to a means of increasing the pressure of the
mixture (e.g., a
fracturing pump ¨ aka "intensifier unit" ¨ as will occur to those of skill in
the art) and the
pressurized mixture is injected into a well.
In still further examples, proppant is made to specific sizes from produced
and/or flow-back
water, as well as other sources, using a combination of a kiln, crusher, mill,
and screens, to
produce proppant of various sizes that those of skill in the art will
recognize as being desirable in
fracturing operations. See, e.g., Mining Engineering, "Industrial Materials",
pp. 59-61, June
2012 (www.miningengineering magazine.com), incorporated herein by reference.
The various
sizes are made by adjusting the mill and screens used.
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In still another example, a method is provided for treating hydrocarbon well
fracture water
(which includes both "flow back" and "produced" water) from a hydrocarbon
well, wherein the
method comprises: separating solids from fracture water, wherein a flow of
water with
suspended solids results; separating the flow of water into a plurality of
flows of water;
generating positive charge in the plurality of flows of water, wherein a
plurality of flows of
positively-charged water results; comingling the plurality of flows of
positively-charged water
after said generating. In a further example, the method also comprises:
monitoring an oil/water
interface level and controlling the oil/water interface level in the
separator.
In a more specific example, method further comprises slowing the flow rate in
the
plurality of flows of water to be less than the flow rate of the flow of water
with suspended
solids. Slowing the flow rate allows for greater residence time during the
step of generating
positive charge. That increases the amount of positive charge in the water
which is considered to
be beneficial for killing microbes in the water and for providing residual
positive charge for a
period of time when the water has been injected into a geologic formation from
which
hydrocarbons are to be produced. The presence of positive charge in the water
geologic
formation is believed to have benefits in reducing the presence of various
flow-reducing
structures in the formation.
In a further specific example the method generating positive charge in the
flows of water
comprises treating each of the plurality of flows of water with
electromagnetic flux.
In still a further example, the majority of the suspended solids are less than
about 100
microns. In some such examples, substantially all the suspended solids are
less than about 100
microns. In a more limited set of examples, the majority of the suspended
solids are less than
about 10 microns. And in still a more limited set of examples, substantially
all the suspended
solids are less than about 10 microns. By reducing the size of the suspended
solids, it becomes
possible to pass the water through devices that are practical for generating
positive charge in the
water at a reasonable cost by using, for example, stainless steel conduits
when the suspended
solids approach 100 microns and softer materials (for example, PVC) as the
solids approach 10
microns and smaller.
And some further examples, the separating comprise two-stage separating. In at
least one
such example, two-stage separating comprises: passing the fracture water
through a three-phase
separator, wherein a water output from the three-phase separator results, and
passing the water
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output from the three-phase separator through a two-phase separator. In at
least one such method,
the three-phase separator comprises a four-material separator having at least
four outputs
including: a slurry, water having suspended solids therein, hydrocarbon
liquid, and hydrocarbon
gas.
According to another example of the invention, a system is provided for
treating hydrocarbon
well fracture water from a hydrocarbon well, system comprising: means for
separating solids
from fracture water, wherein a flow of water with suspended solids results;
means for separating
the flow of water into a plurality of flows of water; means for generating
positive charge in the
plurality of flows of water, wherein a plurality of flows of positively-
charged water results; and
means for comingling plurality of flows of positively-charged water.
In at least one such system, the means for separating comprises a three-phase,
four
material separator. For example, and a more specific example, the means for
separating further
comprises a second two phase separator, the two-phase separator comprising an
input for
receiving water flow from the three-phase gas oil separator, and an output for
the flow of water
with suspended solids. In a further example, there is also provided: means for
monitoring an
oil/water interface level; and means for controlling the oil/water interface
level in the first and
second separator. In one such example, the means for monitoring comprises an
oil/water
interface level indicator and control valve sensor (for example, a cascade
control system).
In some examples, the means for separating the flow of water into a plurality
of flows of
water comprises a manifold having an input port to receive the flow of water
with suspended
solids and a plurality of output ports, each of which has a cross-sectional
area that is smaller than
the cross-sectional area of the input of the manifold; and wherein the sum of
the cross-sectional
areas of the output ports is greater than the cross-sectional area of the
input ports, whereby the
flow rate exiting the manifold is less than the flow rate entering the
manifold. In at least one
example, the manifold comprises a 1:12 manifold (for example, having cross-
sectional diameters
of 4 inches in the output ports and a larger cross sectional diameter in the
input ports). In an
alternative example, the means for separating the flow of water into a
plurality of flows of water
comprises a water truck having a plurality of compartments, each compartment
being positioned
to receive a portion of the flow of water.
In a further example, the means for generating positive charge comprises means
for
treating each of the plurality of flows of water with electromagnetic flux. At
least one such
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example, the means for treating each of the plurality of flows of water with
electromagnetic flux
comprises: a pipe; and at least one electrical coil having an axis
substantially coaxial with the
pipe. In some such examples, the pipe consists essentially of non-conducting
material. In some
such examples, the pipe consists essentially of stainless steel. In a variety
of examples, there is
also provided a ringing current switching circuit connected to the coil. In
some such examples,
the ringing current switching circuit operates in a full-wave mode at a
frequency between about
10 kHz to about 80 kHz.
In still a further example, the means for co-mingling comprises a manifold
having input
ports for a plurality of flows of positively-charged water and an output port.
In one such
example, the means for co-mingling further comprises a well fracturing water
and proppant
blender. In a variety of examples, the majority of the suspended solids are
less than about 100
microns. In some such examples substantially all the suspended solids are less
than about 100
microns. In a more limited set of examples, the majority of the suspended
solids are less than
about 10 microns. In an even more limited set of examples, substantially all
the suspended solids
are less than about 10 microns.
In a more specific example, the means for separating comprises a two-stage
separator. In
one such example, the two-stage separator comprises: a three-phase separator
having a water
output coupled to an input of a two-phase separator. In a further example,
three-phase separator
comprises a four-material separator having at least four outputs including: a
slurry, water having
suspended solids therein, hydrocarbon liquid, and hydrocarbon gas.
In another example of the invention, a system is provided for treatment of
hydrocarbon
well fracture water, the system comprising: a multi-phase separator; a
manifold having an input
port connected to an output of the multiphase separator and having multiple
output ports; a
plurality of pipes, each having coils wound on the pipe, wherein each pipe has
an input end
connected to an output port of the manifold and each pipe has an output end; a
co-mingling
-- manifold having input ports connected to the output ends of the plurality
of pipes.
In at least one such system, a proppant-water blender is also provided that is
connected to
an output of the co-mingling manifold.
In at least one such system, the multi-phase separator comprises a multi-stage
separator.
In a more specific example, the multi-stage separator comprises a two-stage
separator, wherein: a
first stage of the two-stage separator comprises a three-phase separator and a
second stage of the
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two-stage separator comprises a two-phase separator. In an even more specific
example, the
three-phase separator comprises a four-material separator including an oil-
water interface control
system.
In still another example of the invention, a method is provided for
controlling of
water/liquid hydrocarbon interface in a three-phase separator, the method
comprising:
establishing a water/liquid hydrocarbon interface in a three-phase separator;
measuring the
water/liquid hydrocarbon interface in the three-phase separator, wherein a
water/liquid
hydrocarbon interface measurement signal results; comparing the water/liquid
hydrocarbon
interface measurement signal to a set point, wherein a comparison signal
results; reducing the
flow-back or produced water into the three-phase separator of hydrocarbon well
fracture water
when the comparison signal indicates the water/liquid hydrocarbon interface is
above the set
point; and increasing flow into the three-phase separator when the comparison
signal indicates
the water/liquid hydrocarbon interface is below the set point, wherein the
increasing flow
comprises hydrocarbon well fracture water from a well and make-up water from a
storage taffl(
or a lagoon.
In a further example, the method also comprises: decreasing the flow exiting
the three-
phase separator at the same rate in balance with the flow as it decreases into
the three-phase
separator, and increasing the flow exiting the three-phase separator at the
same balanced rate as
the flow increases into the three-phase separator.
In another example, a system is provided for controlling of water/liquid
hydrocarbon
interface in the three-phase separator, where in the system comprises: means
for establishing a
water/liquid hydrocarbon interface in a three-phase separator; means for
measuring the
water/liquid hydrocarbon interface in the three-phase separator, wherein a
water/liquid
hydrocarbon interface measurement signal results; means for comparing the
water/liquid
hydrocarbon interface measurement signal to a set point, wherein a comparison
signal results;
means for reducing the flow into the three-phase separator of hydrocarbon well
fracture water
when the comparison signal indicates the water/liquid hydrocarbon interface is
above the set
point and for increasing flow into the three-phase separator when the
comparison signal indicates
the water/liquid hydrocarbon interface is below the set point, wherein the
increasing flow
comprises hydrocarbon well fracture water and make-up water.
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In at least one example, the means for establishing a water/liquid hydrocarbon
interface
comprises a diaphragm wier. In a further example, the means for measuring the
water/liquid
hydrocarbon interface comprises a liquid level indicator controller-type
sensor. In still a further
example, comparing the water/liquid hydrocarbon interface measurement signal
to a set point
comprises a continuous capacitance level transmitter.
In some examples, the means for reducing and for increasing the flow into the
three-
phase separator comprises a turbine type flow meter and an inlet type control
valve in-line with
the input of the three-phase separator.
In further examples, also provided are: means for decreasing and balancing the
flow
exiting the three-phase separator at the same rate as the flow decreases into
the three-phase
separator and for increasing the flow exiting the three-phase separator at the
same balanced rate
as the flow increases into the three-phase separator.
In at least one such example the means for decreasing and increasing the flow
exiting the
three-phase separator comprises a flow-type meter connected in-line with the
water output of the
three-phase separator. In another example, the means for decreasing and
increasing the flow
exiting the three-phase separator comprises an orifice-type flow controller
controlling the water
output of the three-phase separator.
Examples of the inventions are further illustrated in the attached drawings,
which are
illustrations and not intended as engineering or assembly drawings and are not
to scale. Various
components are represented symbolically; also, in various places, "windows"
into components
illustrate the flow of material from one location to another. However, those
of skill in the art will
understand which components are normally closed. Nothing in the drawings or
detailed
description should be interpreted as a limitation of any claim term to mean
something other than
its ordinary meaning to a person of skill in the various technologies brought
together in this
description.
In at least one example, a method for increasing hydrocarbon production from a
subsurface
formation, comprises: generating ionized fluid, pumping the ionized fluid from
a surface location
into at least one subsurface location in a hydrocarbon well, pressuring the
ionized fluid at the at
least one subsurface location, depressurizing the ionized fluid at the
perforated location, wherein
at least a portion of the ionized fluid returns to the surface location
containing suspended
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materials. In another example, the method further comprises perforating at
least one subsurface
location.
In at least one such example, the method further comprises fracking the at
least one
subsurface location. In yet another example, the method further comprises
isolating at least one
subsurface location from at least one portion of the hydrocarbon well.
In yet another example, the method, wherein said ionized fluid inhibits
corrosion of the
hydrocarbon well. In a further example, the method wherein the ionized fluid
composition
comprises at least fifty percent water by volume.
In another example, the ionized fluid comprises positively charged water. In
still a further
example, the method further comprises mixing the ionized fluid with a
proppant.
According to a further example, the method wherein the ionized fluid is
generated by
exposing water to electromagnetic fields of influence. In yet another example,
the method
wherein the electromagnetic field of influence is pulsed at a full wave of up
to three hundred and
sixty times per second. In another example, the method wherein the
electromagnetic field of
influence is pulsed at a full wave of more than eighty times per second.
In yet another example, the method wherein the suspended particles include
calcium based
suspended particles.
In still a further example, the method further comprises recycling a portion
of the flowback
fluid from the well. In another example, the method further comprises
recycling a portion of the
produced fluid from the well. In yet another example, the method further
comprises ionizing the
recycled portion of the produced fluid. In another example, the method wherein
the ionized fluid
being generated comprises recycled fluid, produced fluid, and makeup fluid.
In a more specific example, a means system for increasing hydrocarbon
production from a
subsurface formation comprises: means for generating an ionized fluid; means
for transporting
the ionized fluid from the surface into at least one fracture zone of the
subsurface formation,
means for pressuring the ionized fluid at the at least one fracture zone;
means for maintaining
the pressurize at the at least one fracture zone; means for depressurizing the
ionized fluid at the
at least one fracture zone; wherein a portion of the ionized fluid returns to
the surface carrying
suspended particles of the formation. In yet another example, the means for
generating ionized
fluid further comprises a means for treating water with electromagnetic fields
of influence.
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In another example, the system wherein the means for generating the
electromagnetic fields of
influence comprises: a pipe; and at least one electrical coil having an axis
substantially coaxial
with the pipe. In a further example, the system wherein the electromagnetic
fields of influence
are generated at a full wave frequency of more than eighty pulses per second.
In yet another example, the system wherein the ionized fluid is composed of at
least fifty
percent water by volume.
In another example, the system wherein the electromagnetic fields of influence
are generated
at a full wave frequency of up to three hundred and sixty pulses per second.
In a further example,
the system wherein the electromagnetic fields of influence eliminate the
majority of the micro-
organisms within the ionized fluid.
In another example, the system further comprises a means for adding proppant
to the ionized
fluid. In yet another example, the system wherein said means for adding
proppant to the ionized
fluid comprises a blender.
In another example, the system wherein said means for transporting the ionized
fluid from
the surface into a fracture zone of the subsurface formation comprises coiled
tubing.
In yet another example, the wherein said means for pressuring the ionized
fluid at the fracture
zone comprises at least one fracturing pump.
In a further example, the system wherein said means for maintaining the
pressure at the
fracture zone comprises at least one packer.
In yet another example, the system wherein said means for depressurizing the
ionized fluid at
the fracture zone comprises coiled tubing. In another example, the system
further comprises a
drill mechanism attached to the coil tubing adapted to compromise the at least
one packer.
In a further example, the system further comprises a means for recycling
flowback fluid,
wherein a portion of the recycled flowback fluid is used to generate the
ionized fluid. In yet
another example, the system further comprises a means for separating the
flowback into water
and at least one other substance.
In yet another example, the system wherein the ionized fluid comprises
positively charged
water. In another example, the system further comprises a means for recycling
produced fluid,
wherein a portion of the recycled produced fluid is used to generate the
ionized fluid. In an
example, the system further comprises a means for separating the produced
fluid into water and
at least one other substance.
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In a more specific example, a method for increasing hydrocarbon production
from a
subsurface formation comprising: generating ionized fluid, re-entering a
formation; accessing at
least one select location within a hydrocarbon well; pumping the ionized fluid
from a surface
location into the subsurface formation at the at least one selected location
in a hydrocarbon well,
pressuring the ionized fluid at the at least one selected location,
depressurizing the ionized fluid
at the at least one selected location, wherein at least a portion of the
ionized fluid returns to the
surface location containing suspended materials. In a further example, the
method further
comprises eliminating the majority of the microorganisms within the ionized
fluid. In yet another
example, the method wherein the ionized fluid composition comprises at least
fifty percent water
by volume.
In yet another example, the method wherein the ionized fluid comprises
positively charged
water.
In a further example, the method wherein the ionized fluid is generated by
subjecting a fluid
to electromagnetic fields of influence. In yet another example, the method
wherein the
electromagnetic fields of influence are pulsed at a full wave of more than
eighty times per
second. In a further example, the method wherein the electromagnetic fields of
influence are
pulsed at a full wave of up to three hundred and sixty times per second. .
In yet another example, the method wherein the suspended particles include
calcium based
suspended particles. In another example, the method further comprising
isolating the at least
one selected location from at least one portion of the hydrocarbon well.
In a further example, the method further comprises perforating the at least
one selected
location.
In yet another example, the method further comprises fracking at least one
selected location.
In another example, the method further comprises mixing the ionized fluid with
a proppant.
In yet another example, the method further comprising isolating the at least
one selected location
from a second selected location.
In a further example. the method further comprises installing at least one
packer to isolate the
at least one selected location from at least one portion of the hydrocarbon
well.
In an example, the method further comprises drilling out the at least one
packer.
In a more specific example, a method of increasing production from a
subsurface shale
formation comprises: generating ionized fluid with electromagnetic fields of
influence; pumping
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the ionized fluid into the subsurface shale formation; and exposing the
previously perforated
zone to ionized fluid under pressure; wherein the production from the
subsurface shale increases
after the ionized fluid is depressurized, wherein previously perforated zone
has been previously
fracked, further comprising fracking the previously perforated zone and,
further comprising
selecting a zone to expose to ionized fluid.
In a further example, the method further comprises perforating the selected
zone. In another
example, the method further comprises fracking the selected zone and isolating
the selected
zone. In yet another example, the method further comprises pressurizing the
selected zone with
ionized water. In yet another example, the method further comprises holding
the pressure in the
selected zone for a predetermined period of time. In yet another example, the
method further
comprises releasing the pressure in the selected zone. In yet another example,
the method further
comprises mixing the ionized fluid with a proppant.
In a more specific example, a device for use in a hydrocarbon well fracture
operation
comprising: an electromagnetic field generator having a first fluid input port
and a first fluid
output port; at least one fracturing pump having a second fluid input port
connect to the first
fluid output port of the electromagnetic field generator; and a coiled tubing
device having the
coil tubing input connect to the second fluid output port, and further
comprises at least one well
fracture tool attached to the coil tubing. In yet another example, the device
further comprises at
least one well perforation tool attached to the coiled tubing. In yet another
example, the device
further comprises at least one pipe in within the electromagnetic field
generator located between
the first fluid input port and the first fluid output port.
In yet another example, the device further comprises at least one
electromagnetic coil
surrounding at least one pipe. In another example, the device further
comprises at least one
completions tool attached to the end of coiled tubing.
In yet a further example, the device further comprises a wellhead at the
surface of the
hydrocarbon well, wherein the coiled tubing interfaces with the hydrocarbon
well by way of the
wellhead. In another example, the device further comprises a flowback line
from the wellhead
with an outlet port. In yet another example, the device further comprises the
flowback line outlet
port connected to a separator, the separator having an inlet port and at least
one outlet port. In a
even further example, the device further comprises at least one separator
outlet port connecting
to a second inlet port on the electromagnetic field generator.
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Description of the Drawings
Figure 1 is a diagram of a well site showing the flow of various materials
used in various
examples of the invention.
Figures 2A and 2B, when connected along their respective dotted lines, are a
side view of
an example of the invention.
Figure 2A1 is an alternative to the embodiment of Figure 2A.
Figure 2C is a schematic of a control system used in at least one example of
the
invention.
Figures 3A and 3B, when connected by the overlapping components next to their
dotted
lines, are a plan view of the example of Figures 2A and 2B.
Figures 3C and 3D are an isometric and side view, respectively, of an aspect
of the
examples of Figures 2A-2B and Figures 3A-3B.
Figure 4 is a side view of a further example of the invention.
Figure 5 is a plan view of the example of Figure 4.
Figure 6 is a diagram of a well site showing the flow of various materials
used in various
examples of the invention.
Figure 7 is a diagram of a well site showing the flow of various materials
used in various
examples of the invention.
Figure 8 is a top view of an example of the invention.
Figure 9 is a side view of an example of the invention.
Figure 10A is a side view of support leg 100 of Figure 8.
Figure 10B depicts a top view of foot 101 of Figure 10A.
Figure 11 is a cross section view taken through line A of Figure 9.
Figure 12 is a cross section view taken along line C of Figure 8.
Figure 13 is a cross section view taken along line B of Figure 8.
Figure 14A is a top view of a component of an example of the invention.
Figure 14B is a section view of the component of Figure 14A.
Figure 15 is a schematic of a control system useful in examples of the
invention.
Figure 16 is a representational view of a system useful in examples of the
invention.
Figure 17 is a schematic of a control system useful according to examples of
the
invention.
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Figure 18 is a perspective view of examples of the invention.
Figure 19 is a perspective view of an apparatus embodying the invention.
Figure 20 is an exploded view of the pipe unit of the apparatus of Figure 19.
Figure 21 is a longitudinal cross sectional view taken through the pipe unit
of Figure 19.
Figure 22 is a simplified circuit diagram of the pipe unit of Figure 19.
Figure 23 is a detailed schematic diagram of the electrical circuit of the
pipe unit of
Figure 19.
Figure 24 is a diagram showing certain wave shapes produced by the pipe unit
of Figure
19 during operation.
Figure 25 is a circuit diagram similar to Figure 4 but showing a modified
embodiment of
the invention.
Figure 26 is a view similar to Figure 21 but showing a modified embodiment of
the
invention in which the pipe unit has only one coil surrounding the liquid flow
pipe.
Figure 27 is a detailed circuit diagram similar to Figure 23 but showing an
electrical
circuit for use with the pipe unit of Figure 27.
Figure 28 is a chart specifying presently preferred values of certain
parameters of the
apparatus of Figures 19 to 24.
Figure 29 is a diagram of a well site showing the flow of various materials
used in
various examples of the invention, including pumping ionized water into a
formation.
Figure 30 is a diagram of a perforation zone being exposed to an ionized
fluid.
Figure 31 is a diagram of the zeta principal and showing the positioning of
fields and
force.
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Detailed Description of Examples of the Invention
Referring now to Figure 1, a flow diagram of the use of the invention in a
hydrocarbon
well having a well bore 1 with cemented casing 3 passing through fracture
zones that are isolated
by packers. Coil tubing 9 is inserted by rig 11 for fracture operations known
to those of skill in
the art.
Flow back (and/or produced) water is routed to three-phase
solids/liquids/gas/hydrocarbon/water separator 10, from which any hydrocarbon
liquids and
gases are produced, and water from separator 10 is routed to a fracturing-
water storage tank 17
which may also include water from another source (aka "make up" water). Wet
solids are passed
from three-phase separator 10 to two-phase separator 14, which produces water
that is passed to
a quench system 32 and slurry that are passed to kiln 24. Slag is passed from
kiln 24 through
quench system 32 to crusher 40 and then to mill 46. Milled material is
separated into a specified
size at screen 50 that is sent to a proppant storage silo 26, which may also
include proppant from
another source (e.g., a supplier of sand). Water is provided to
biocide/coalescer unit 13. Proppant
provided to blender 15 from silo 26, water is supplied to blender 15 from
biocide/coalescer unit
13; the blended water and proppant are then provided to fracturing pumps 19,
which pumps the
blend into the well where it fractures the oil shale layer 21. Other additives
may be provided to
the blender 15, as desired. Also, proppant may be added to the water before
the
biocide/coalescer unit 13 in alternative examples.
Examples of the invention create a range of proppants of specific sizes from a
slurry
extracted from a hydraulically-fractured hydrocarbon well.
In Figures 2A and 2C and in Figures 3A ¨ 3D, a more specific example is seen.
In that
example, a slurry is extracted from gravity-precipitated slurry that
accumulates at the bottom of a
conventional three-phase separation tank 10 (which is of a common design known
to those of
skill in the art). In the specific example of Fig. 2A, as will occur to those
of skill in the art, a
water/liquid hydrocarbon interface level facilitates the separation and
recovery of any liquid
hydrocarbon product from the flow back or produced water stream (which is
under pressure as it
enters separator 10) by means of an internally or externally mounted water
level indicator (not
shown). That indicator sends a water level measurement signal to a pre-
programmed, low
level/high level water flow control data integrator (not shown). When the
water level in the
separator 10 reaches the high level set point, the data integrator actuates a
control valve (not
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shown) that controls flow through the water feed pipe 10a (labeled "Inlet
Water") to reduce the
amount of water going into the three phase separator, and the rate of flow
continues to decrease
until a point is reached where the incoming amount of water equalizes and
balances out the
volume of water being withdrawn from the three phase separator. Conversely, if
the water level
in the three phase separator 10 falls below the low level set point, the data
integrator actuates and
further opens up the control valve in inlet pipe 10a in order to increase the
amount or rate of
water flow that is sufficient to stabilize the interface level. If this
additional amount of water is
not sufficient to stabilize the water level at the interface level, the
integrator actuates a pump (not
shown) and opens up another control valve (not shown) which is located in a
discharge pipe (not
shown) in water storage taffl( 17 (Fig. 1). That discharge pipe is connected
to the inlet pipe 10a;
thus water from fracturing water storage taffl( 17 continues to flow into the
three phase separator
together with the flow back or produced water until the water level in the
separator 10 reaches
the proper interface level. Then, the make-up water control valve closes and
the make-up water
pump is shut off This control sequence is necessary in order to achieve steady
state and
continuous operational stability in the separation and recovery of any liquid
hydrocarbon product
that is carried into the three phase separator by the flow back or produced
water feed stream.
A weir and baffle configuration (commonly known in gas/oil separation units)
facilitates
the separation and recovery of the liquid hydrocarbon product, if any, by
using the interface level
as the maximum height of the water in the separator and allowing the lighter
liquid hydrocarbons
to float on top of the water layer and then be withdrawn as liquid hydrocarbon
product after it
flows over the liquid hydrocarbon product weir and is withdrawn at the
hydrocarbon liquid
product outlet flange connection. A horizontal baffle under the weir limits
the amount of
potential water carry over that might be comingled with the liquid hydrocarbon
product stream.
As the flow back or produced water stream enters the three phase separator 10
the
depressurization releases the lighter hydrocarbon gases and their release
assists in the flotation of
the liquid hydrocarbon products as well as the release of the gaseous
hydrocarbon products
through outlet 10c. Water flows out of separator 10 through pipe 10b to a
surge tank (not shown)
and is then pumped back to water tank 17 (Fig. 1).
From separator 10, a motor-driven positive displacement diaphragm-type sludge
pump 12
moves the slurry upwards to the inlet opening of a two-phase water/solids
separation tank 14
resulting in a solid stream 16 and a liquid stream 18 that is pumped by pump
19 to a quench
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(labeled "Q"). From the bottom of the two-phase water/solids separation tank
14, a bucket-
elevator conveyor 20 transports the precipitated slurry materials from the
lower part of the
water/solids separation tank 14 upwards from the water level and discharges
them into the feed-
hopper 22 (Fig. 2B). The discharge is seen in Figure 2A as going over a dashed
line, which
connects with the dashed line to the left of Figure 2B where slurry is seen
accumulating in feed-
hopper 22 of a slagging, rotary-kiln 24, leaving the slurry water to remain in
the water/solids
separation tank 14 and the elevator 20. As a result, all separation is carried
out at atmospheric
pressure rather than in pressurized-vessels (as is current practice).
In the feed-hopper 22, the slurry materials from the water/slurry separation
tank are
mixed with specification proppant from silo 26 (Fig. 1), as well as under-
sized and over-sized
solid materials that come from a final screening unit 50 (described below).
As the fusion process for the proppant material proceeds, inorganic proppant
materials
are fused into a uniform mass and volatile organic materials that may have
been present in the
feed stream from the water/solids separation tank 14 are burned and vaporized
prior to the gases
being eventually discharged into an exhaust vent 30.
The proppant material exiting from the rotary kiln 24 is quenched with a
stream of water
to reduce the temperature of the material, as it emerges from the outlet of
the kiln 24. In some
examples, discharged material flows onto a perforated, motor-driven stainless-
steel conveyor belt
35 and the water cascades, through spray nozzles 34 on to the moving belt 35
thereby solidifying
and cooling the proppant material. The water used for quenching the proppant
material comes
from the water/solids separation tank 14 (see Fig. 2A) using, e.g., a motor-
driven centrifugal
pump 19 to push the water to the quench nozzles 34 of Fig. 3B. An excess water
collection pan
36 is positioned under the conveyor belt 35 to collect and recover any excess
quench water and
convey it back to the water/solids separation tank 14 by a motor-driven
centrifugal pump 21 and
a pipeline shown flowing to return "R" of Fig. 2A.
Quenching the hot proppant material, as it is discharged from the kiln 24,
causes a
multitude of random, differential-temperature fractures or cracks due to the
uneven contraction
of the proppant material and the high internal stresses caused by rapid
quenching. The different
sized pieces of proppant material are discharged directly into the material
crusher 40.
Crushing or breaking up the large irregular pieces of proppant material and
reducing their
size is accomplished, in some examples, by a motor-driven, vertical-shaft,
gyratory, eccentric
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cone or jaw crusher, known to those of skill in the art. The degree of the
size reduction is
adjusted by changing the spacing or crusher gap, thus allowing a range of
different material sizes
to be produced, as is known to those of skill in the art.
Sizing of the proppant material is accomplished by the grinding or milling of
the crushed
proppant material after the proppant material is discharged at the bottom of
the crusher. In the
illustrated example, the material is conveyed upwards to ball mill 46 by a
bucket-elevator
conveyor 44. In at least one alternative example, a rod mill is used. The mill
46 is adjusted to
grind the proppant material to different specific size ranges by changing
rotation, the size and
spacing of the rods or balls in the mill 46 (or its rotation).
The milled proppant material flows by gravity down through the grinding zone
of the mill
and is discharged onto vibrating screen 50 where the mesh openings are
selectively sized to a
specific sieve value. For example, for soft mineral shale the mesh openings
are in the 590 micron
range or a #30 sieve. For hard mineral shale (for example) the mesh openings
would be in the
150 micron range or a #100 sieve. Proppant material of the proper size flows
downward by
gravity through a selectively sized screen exiting at "A." Proppant material
that is too large to
pass through the slanted, vibrating screen 53 exits onto belt 51a (seen better
in Fig. 3B), and the
rest drops to screen 55. Proppant material between the sizes of screens 53 and
55 exit as correctly
sized proppant at "A" and is transported to silo 26 (Fig. 1). Under-sized
proppant drops onto belt
51a which conveys the under-sized and over-sized proppant to belt 51b, which
then carries the
proppant back to kiln 24, through elevator 25. Figs. 3A and 3B illustrate a
top view of an
example of the invention in which the components are mounted on a trailer or
skid mounted that
are assembled at a well site with biocide and other components (e.g., Figs. 4
and 5). Such
trailers or skids are leveled in some examples by leveling jacks 81.
As seen in Figures 3C and 3D, elevator 25 deposits material into the top of
feed hopper
22 and elevator 23 deposits material from the silo into feed hopper 22 from a
lower level through
an opening in feed hopper 22.
The properly-sized proppant materials flow is fed, by gravity, into a
specification
proppant container (not shown) for transfer to the specification proppant
storage silo 26 (Fig. 1)
which may also contain specification proppant from another source.
Referring now to Fig. 2B, it is desirable to control the viscosity of the
proppant feed
mixture, to attain stability of sustaining an optimum fusion temperature (in
some examples,
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-- approximately 2200 degrees Fahrenheit). As the proppant feed mixture
temperature is rising, due
to the heat in kiln 24, the process of fusing the various inorganic materials
into a uniformly
viscous mass is achieved when the temperature in the proppant mixture reaches
the fusion
temperature of silicon dioxide or sand. The viscosity of the proppant material
is a function of the
temperature of the material itself Such control is accomplished in various
ways.
In at least one example, the temperature of the fused material is measured, by
any means
know to those of skill in the art, for example, an optical pyrometric sensor
in quench system 32,
as it exits from the kiln. If the temperature is above the fusion point of the
material, it will be too
liquid, and the fuel to the kiln is reduced. At the same time, more
specification proppant may be
added to the feed hopper 22. This affects the temperature because the material
coming from the
-- slurry is not uniform and is not dry; adding proppant from the silo evens
out the variability.
Referring now to Fig. 2C, a schematic is seen in which sensor 67 signals
integrator 69
with the temperature of the output of the kiln 24. Integrator 69 then controls
variable-speed
motor 90 (Fig. 3A) that operates elevator 23 (see also Fig. 3B) that carries
proppant from the
bottom of proppant silo 26 and discharges it into the slagging rotary kiln
feed-hopper 22. The
-- different material streams are comingled in the feed-hopper 22 before they
enter the revolving
drum of the kiln 24. The proportion or amount of specification proppant that
is needed to be
added to the material stream from the water/solids tank 14 is adjusted,
depending upon the
changes in the composition of the materials coming from the water/solids
separation tank 14.
This increases uniformity of the proppant material feed mixture that kiln 24
uses in the fusion
-- process. In at least one example, if the temperature is too high, the fuel
to the burner is reduced;
if that does not correct it, the amount of proppant to the kiln will be
increased. Likewise, if the
temperature is too low, the fuel is increased to the burner; and, if that does
not work, the amount
of proppant is decreased. Alternative arrangements will occur to those of
skill in the art.
Referring back to Figure 2C, integrator 69 also controls valve 63 to increase
or decrease
-- the supply of fuel 61 for kiln burner 65.
Referring again to Figure 1, one example of the invention is seen in which
separator 10 is
seen feeding the slurry to separator 14, and water from separator 10 is the
joined with new
"make-up" (in tank 17) water to be used in injection in a new fracturing job.
The combined
flows are treated by an electromagnetic biocide/coalescer 13 of the type
described in U.S. Patent
-- No. 6,063,267, incorporated herein by reference for all purposes
(commercially available as a
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Dolphin model 2000), which is set, in at least one example, to impart an
electro-magnetic pulse
having the following characteristics: selectable, variable, and tuneable
frequencies in a range
between about 10-80 KHz. Such a pulse is sufficient to kill biological
organisms and to cause a
positive charge to be applied to the water, making the dissolved solids
capable of being
precipitated or coalesced in the well.
Figures 4 and 5 are side and top views, respectively, of an example trailer-
mounted or
skid-mounted system that includes a set of biocide/coalescers 70a ¨ 701,
organized to receive
fracturing taffl( water in the type of flow rate used in common shale-fracture
operations. Such
units are run from an electrical control panel 72, that is connected to an
overhead power and
control distribution rack 73 that connects to overhead power feed components
71a ¨ 711. Power
is supplied by an engine 75 that turns an electrical generator 77 that is
connected to power feed
79 for supplying power in a manner known to those of skill in the art.
Referring now to Figure 2A1, an alternative to the embodiment of Figure 2A as
seen in
which the water level of two-phase separator 14 is at the same as the level
and three-phase
separator 10. In such an embodiment, there is fluid communication through a
diaphragm pump
12 and tanks are at atmospheric pressure such that the liquid gas interface is
at the same level.
Referring now to Figure 6, according to another example of the invention, a
system is
provided for treating hydrocarbon well fracture water from a hydrocarbon well,
system
comprising a means for separating solids from fracture water comprising a
three-phase, four
material separator 10, wherein a flow of water with suspended solids results
that is passed to a
fracturing water storage tank 17. From there so-called "make-up water" may be
added to fracture
water storage tank 17 and the flow of water is passed through a means for
separating the flow of
water into a plurality of flows of water (described in more detail below); to
a means for
generating positive charge in the plurality of flows of water (for example, a
set of biocide
coalescers or units as described above), wherein a plurality of flows of
positively-charged water
results. A means for comingling plurality of flows of positively-charged water
more evenly
distributes the positive charge in the water before it is passed to blender 15
for use in subsequent
well fracturing operations.
Figure 7 illustrates an example in which the means for separating further
comprises a
second stage, two-phase separator 14, the two-phase separator comprising an
input for receiving
water flow from the three-phase gas oil separator. The water flow from the
three-phase separator
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is taken from the midsection of the separator, while most solids dropped out
at the bottom, as
described above. However, the water from the three-phase separator includes
suspended solids
that can damage a biocide coalesce or unit. Accordingly, in one example
embodiment, the water
flow from the three-phase separator 10 is passed to the input of a two-phase
separator 14, which
also includes an output for the flow of water with suspended smaller suspended
solids. Two-
phase separator 14 also drops solids out of its lower section in the form of a
slurry. The slurry
from three-phase separator 10 and two-phase separator 14 are further processed
(for example as
described above) or disposed of in some other manner.
Referring now to Figures 8 and 9, an example of a three-phase, four-material
separator
90, useful according to some embodiments of the invention and place of three-
phase separator
10, as seen. Separator 90 and includes an input 92, a slurry output 94, a
liquid hydrocarbon
output 98 and a gas output 80. As also seen in Figure 10A, separator 90 is
supported by legs 100
(which includes a foot 101, as seen in Figure 10B) welded to the side of
separator 90.
Referring again to Figure 9, as well as Figure 11 (which is a cross section
taken through
line A of Figure 9) and Figure 13 (which is a cross-sectional taken along line
B of Figure 8), a
baffle 111 allows water having some suspended solids to exit separator 90
while larger solids
exit as the slurry at the bottom exit 94. Figure 12 illustrates a cross-
section of input 92 (taken
along line C of Figure 8) where input pipe 92 is supported by support 120
connected to the
bottom of separator 90 and holding input pipe 92 and a saddle.
In a further example, there is also provided: means for monitoring an
oil/water interface
level; and means for controlling the oil/water interface level in the first
and second separator. In
one such example, the means for monitoring comprises an oil/water interface
level indicator and
control valve sensor (for example, a cascade control system).
As illustrated in Figure 18, in some examples, the means for separating the
flow of water
into a plurality of flows of water comprises a manifold 181 having an input
port valve 183 to
receive the flow of water with suspended solids from a means for separating
and a plurality of
output ports attached to biocide coalescer units 184, each output port having
a cross-sectional
area that is smaller than the cross-sectional area of the input of the
manifold. In some examples,
the sum of the cross-sectional areas of the output ports is greater than the
cross-sectional area of
the input ports, whereby the flow rate exiting the manifold is less than the
flow rate entering the
manifold. In at least one example, the manifold 181 comprises a 1:12 manifold
(for example,
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having cross-sectional diameters of 4 inches in the output ports and a larger
cross sectional
diameter in the input ports). In an alternative example, the means for
separating the flow of water
into a plurality of flows of water comprises a water truck as is known in the
art (not shown)
having a plurality of compartments, each compartment being positioned to
receive a portion of
the flow of water. In operation, water passes through valve 183 into manifold
181 and the flow is
slowed as it is separated into parallel flows through the parallel-connected
biocide coalescer
units 184 to increase residence time for imparting electromagnetic flux in
order to maximize the
positive charges the electromagnetic flux imparts to the water. The output of
the units 184 is
comingled in manifold 186, who's output is controlled by valve 188. The entire
assembly of the
manifolds and biocide coalescer units is, in some examples, mounted on frame
184 which may
be lifted by harness 186 onto a pad at a well site or onto the bed of a truck
for transportation.
In a further example, the means for generating positive charge comprises means
for
treating each of the plurality of flows of water with electromagnetic flux. At
least one such
example is seen in Figures 19-28, where the means for treating each of the
plurality of flows of
water with electromagnetic flux comprises: a pipe and at least one electrical
coil having an axis
substantially coaxial with the pipe. In some such examples, the pipe consists
essentially of non-
conducting material. In some such examples, the pipe consists essentially of
stainless steel. In a
variety of examples, there is also provided a ringing current switching
circuit connected to the
coil. In some such examples, the ringing current switching circuit operates in
a full-wave mode
at a frequency between about 10 kHz to about 80 kHz.
Specifically, still referring to Figures 19-28, turning first to FIG. 19, an
apparatus
embodying the invention is indicated generally at 910 and comprises basically
a pipe unit 912
and an alternating current electrical power supply 914. The pipe unit 912
includes a pipe 916
through which liquid to be treated passes with the direction of flow of liquid
being indicated by
the arrows A. The pipe 916 may be made of various materials, but as the
treatment of the liquid
effected by the pipe unit 912 involves the passage of electromagnetic flux
through the walls of
the pipe and into the liquid passing through the pipe, the pipe is preferably
made of a non-
electrical conducting material to avoid diminution of the amount of flux
reaching the liquid due
to some of the flux being consumed in setting up eddy currents in the pipe
material. Other parts
of the pipe unit 912 are contained in or mounted on a generally cylindrical
housing 918
surrounding the pipe 916.
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The pipe unit 912 is preferably, and as hereinafter described, one designed
for operation
by a relatively low voltage power source, for example, a power source having a
voltage of 911
V(rms) to 37 V(rms) and a frequency of 60 Hz and, therefore, the illustrated
power supply 914 is
a voltage step down transformer having a primary side connected to an input
cord 920 adapted
by a plug 922 for connection to a standard mains, such as one supplying
electric power at 120 V
60 Hz or 240 V 60 Hz, and having an output cord 924 connected to the secondary
side of the
transformer and supplying the lower voltage power to the pipe unit 912. The
pipe unit 912 may
be designed for use with pipes 916 of different diameter and the particular
output voltage
provided by the power source 914 is one selected to best suit the diameter of
the pipe and the
size and design of the related components of the pipe unit.
The pipe unit 912, in addition to the housing 918 and pipe 916, consists
essentially of an
electrical coil means surrounding the pipe and a switching circuit for
controlling the flow of
current through the coil means in such a way as to produce successive periods
of ringing current
through the coil means and resultant successive ringing periods of
electromagnetic flux passing
through the liquid in the pipe 916. The number, design and arrangement of the
coils making up
the coil means may vary, and by way of example in FIGS. 20 and 21 the coil
means is shown to
consist of four coils, L1, L2-outer, L2-inner and L3 arranged in a fashion
similar to that of U.S.
Pat. No. 5,702,600, incorporated herein by reference for all purposes. The
coils, as shown in
FIGS. 20 and 21, are associated with three different longitudinal sections
926, 928 and 930 of the
pipe 916. That is, the coil L1 is wound onto and along a bobbin 932 in turn
extending along the
pipe section 926, the coil L3 is wound on and along a bobbin 934 itself
extending along the pipe
section 930, and the two coils L2-inner and L2-outer are wound on a bobbin 936
itself extending
along the pipe section 928, with the coil L2-outer being wound on top of the
coil L2-inner. The
winding of the two coils L2-inner and L2-outer on top of one another, or
otherwise in close
association with one another, produces a winding capacitance between those two
coils which
forms all or part of the capacitance of a series resonant circuit as
hereinafter described.
Referring to FIG. 20, the housing 918 of the pipe unit 912 is made up of a
cylindrical
shell 938 and two annular end pieces 940 and 942. The components making up the
switching
circuit are carried by the end piece 940 with at least some of them being
mounted on a heat sink
944 fastened to the end piece 940 by screws 946. In the assembly of the pipe
unit 912, the end
piece 940 is first slid onto the pipe 916, from the right end of the pipe as
seen in FIG. 20, to a
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position spaced some distance from the right end of the pipe, and is then
fastened to the pipe by
set screws 948. The three coil bobbins 932, 936 and 934, with their coils, are
then moved in
succession onto the pipe 916 from the left end of the pipe until they abut one
another and the end
piece 940, with adhesive applied between the bobbins and the pipe to
adhesively bond the
bobbins to the pipe. An annular collar 950 is then slid onto the pipe from the
left end of the pipe
into abutting relationship with the coil L3 and is fastened to the pipe by set
screws 960, 960. The
shell 938 is then slid over the pipe and fastened at its right end to the end
piece 940 by screws
962, 962. Finally, the end piece 942 is slid over the pipe 916, from the left
end of the pipe, and
then fastened to the shell 938 by screws 964 and to the pipe by set screws
966.
The basic wiring diagram for the pipe unit 912 is shown in FIG. 22. The input
terminals
connected to the power source 914 are indicated at 968 and 970. A connecting
means including
the illustrated conductors connects these input terminals 968 and 970 to the
coils and to the
switching circuit 972 in the manner shown with the connecting means including
a thermal
overload switch 974. The arrow B indicates the clockwise direction of coil
winding, and in
keeping with this reference the coil L3 and the coil L2-outer are wound around
the pipe 916 in the
clockwise direction and the coils L1 and L2-inner are wound around the pipe in
the
counterclockwise direction. Taking these winding directions and the
illustrated electrical
connections into account, it will be understood that when a current ic flows
through the coils in
the direction indicated by the arrows C, the directions of the magnetic fluxes
passing through the
centers of each of the coils, and therefore through the liquid in the pipe,
are as shown by the
arrows E, F, G and H in FIG. 22. That is, the fluxes passing through the
centers of the coils L1,
L2-inner and L3 move in one direction longitudinally of the pipe and the flux
passing through the
center of the coil L2-outer moves in the opposite direction. Depending on the
design of the
switching circuit 972, it may be necessary or desirable to provide a local
ground for the switch
circuit 972 and when this is the case, the switching circuit may be connected
with the input
terminals 968 and 970 through an isolation transformer 976, as shown in FIG.
22.
FIG. 23 is a wiring diagram showing in greater detail the connecting means and
switching circuit 972 of FIG. 22. Referring to FIG. 23, the switching circuit
972 includes a 12 V
power supply subcircuit 976, a comparator subcircuit 978, a timer subcircuit
980, a switch 982
and an indicator subcircuit 984.
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The components D2, R5, C5, R6 and Z1 comprise the 12 V DC power supply
subcircuit
976 which powers the other components of the trigger circuit. Resistors R1 and
R2 and the
operational amplifier Ul form the comparator subcircuit 978. The resistors R1
and R2 form a
voltage divider that sends a signal proportional to the applied AC voltage to
the operational
amplifier Ul . The capacitor Cl serves to filter out any "noise" voltage that
might be present in
the AC input voltage to prevent the amplifier Ul from dithering. The amplifier
Ul is connected
to produce a "low" (zero) output voltage on the line 986 whenever the applied
AC voltage is
positive and to produce a "high" (+12 V) output when the AC voltage is
negative.
When the AC supply voltage crosses zero and starts to become positive, the
amplifier Ul
switches to a low output. This triggers the 555 timer chip U2 to produce a
high output on its pin
93. The capacitor C2 and R3 act as a high-pass filter to make the trigger
pulse momentary rather
than steady. The voltage at pin 92 of U2 is held low for about one-half
millisecond. This
momentary low trigger voltage causes U2 to hold a sustained high (+12 V) on
pin 93.
The switch 982 may take various different forms and may be a sub-circuit
consisting of a
number of individual components, and in all events it is a three-terminal or
triode switch having
first, second and third terminals 988, 990 and 992, respectively, with the
third terminal 992 being
a gate terminal and with the switch being such that by the application of
electrical signals to the
gate terminal 992 the switch can be switched between an ON condition at which
the first and
second terminals are closed relative to one another and an OFF condition at
which the first and
second terminals are open relative to one another. In the preferred and
illustrated case of FIG. 23,
the switch 982 is a single MOSFET (Q1). The MOSFET (Q1) conducts, that is sets
the terminals
988 and 990 to a closed condition relative to one another, as soon as the
voltage applied to the
gate terminal 992 becomes positive as a result of the input AC voltage
appearing across the input
terminals 968 and 970 becoming positive. This in turn allows current to build
up in the coils L1,
L2-inner, L2-outer, and L3. When the time constant formed by the product of
the resistor R4 and
the capacitor C3 has elapsed, the 555 chip U2 reverts to a low output at pin
93 turning the
MOSFET (Q1) to its OFF condition. When this turning off of (Q1) occurs, any
current still
flowing in the coils is diverted to the capacitance which appears across the
terminals 988 and 990
of (Q1). As shown in FIG. 23, this capacitance is made up of the wiring
capacitance C, arising
principally from the close association of the two coils L2-inner and L2-outer.
This winding
capacitance may of itself be sufficient for the purpose of creating a useful
series resonant circuit
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with the coils, but if additional capacitance is needed, it can be supplied by
a separate further
tuning capacitor (C).
When the switch (Q1) turns to the OFF or open condition, any current still
flowing in the
coils is diverted to the capacitance (C, and/or C) and this capacitance in
conjunction with the
coils and with the power source form a series resonant circuit causing the
current through the
coils to take on a ringing wave form and to thereby produce a ringing
electromagnetic flux
through the liquid in the pipe 916. By adjusting the variable resistor R4, the
timing of the
opening of the switch (Q1) can be adjusted to occur earlier or later in each
operative half cycle of
the AC input voltage. Preferably, the circuit is adjusted by starting with R4
at its maximum value
of resistance and then slowly adjusting it toward lower resistance until the
LED indicator 994 of
the indicator subcircuit 984 illuminates. This occurs when the peak voltage
developed across the
capacitance (C, and/or C) exceeds 150 V at which voltage the two Zener diodes
Z2 can conduct.
The Zener diodes charge capacitor 962 and the resulting voltage turns on the
LED 994. When
this indicator LED lights, the adjustment of the resistor R4 is then turned in
the opposite
direction until the LED just extinguishes, and this accordingly sets the
switch (Q1) to generate a
150 V ringing signal.
FIG. 24 illustrates the function of the circuit of FIG. 23 by way of wave
forms which
occur during the operation of the circuit. Referring to this Figure, the wave
form 996 is that of
the AC supply voltage applied across the input terminals 968 and 970, the
voltage being an
alternating one having a first set of half cycles 998 of positive voltage
alternating with a second
set of half cycles 900 of negative voltage. The circuit of FIG. 23 is one
which operates in a half
wave mode with periods of ringing current being produced in the coils of the
pipe unit only in
response to each of the positive half cycles 998. The wave form 902 represents
the open and
closed durations of the switch (Q1), and from this it will be noted that
during each positive half
cycle 998 of the supply voltage the switch (Q1) is closed during an initial
portion of the half
cycle and is opened at a time well in advance of the end of that half cycle
(with the exact timing
of this occurrence being adjustable by the adjustable resistor R4).
The opening and closing of the switch (Q1) produces the current wave form
indicated at
904 in FIG. 24 which for each positive half cycle of the supply voltage is
such that the current
through the coils increases from zero during the initial portion of the half
cycle, during which the
switch (Q1) is closed, and then upon the opening of the switch (Q1) the
current rings for a given
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period of time. The voltage appearing across the coils of the pipe unit is
such as shown by the
wave form 906 of FIG. 24, with the voltage upon the opening of the switch (Q1)
taking on a
ringing shape having a maximum voltage many times greater than the voltage
provided by the
power supply 914.
The frequency of the ringing currents produced in the coils and of the ringing
voltages
produced across the coils can be varied by varying the capacitance (C, and/or
C) appearing
across the switch (Q1) and is preferably set to be a frequency within the
range of 10 kHz to 80
kHz.
Parameters of the apparatus of FIGS. 19-24, including nominal pipe size,
arrangement of
coils in terms of number of turns, gage and length, tuning capacitor
capacitance and associated
nominal power supply voltage are given in the form of a chart in FIG. 28.
As mentioned above, the switching circuit illustrated and described in
connection with
FIGS. 22, 23 and 24 is one which is operable to produce one period of ringing
current and
ringing voltage for each alternate half cycle of the applied supply voltage.
However, if wanted,
the switching circuit can also be designed to operate in a full wave mode
wherein a period of
ringing current and of ringing voltage is produced for each half cycle of the
supply voltage. As
shown in FIG. 25, this can be accomplished by modifying the circuit of FIG. 22
to add a second
switching circuit 908 which is identical to the first switching circuit 972
except for facing current
wise and voltage wise in the opposite direction to the first circuit 972. That
is, in FIG. 25 the first
circuit 972 operates as described above during each positive half cycle of the
applied voltage and
the second circuit 908 operates in the same way during the negative half
cycles of the applied
voltage, and as a result, the number of periods of current and voltage ringing
over a given period
of time is doubled in comparison to the number of periods produced in the same
period of time
by the circuit of FIG. 22.
Also, as mentioned above, the number of coils used in the pipe unit 912 may be
varied
and if wanted, the pipe unit 912 may be made with only one coil without
departing from the
invention. FIGS. 26 and 27 relate to such a construction with FIG. 26 showing
the pipe unit to
have a single coil 910 wound on a bobbin 912 and surrounding the pipe 916. The
switching
circuit used with the single coil pipe unit of FIG. 26 is illustrated in FIG.
27 and is generally
similar to that of FIG. 23 except, that because of the single coil 910
producing no significant
wiring capacitance, it is necessary to provide the tuning capacitor (C) across
the first and second
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terminals 988 and 990 of the switch (Q1). Further, since the coil means is
made up of the single
coil 910 and located entirely on one side of the switch (Q1), it is
unnecessary to provide the
isolation transformer 976 of FIG. 23 to establish a local ground for the
components of the
switching circuit.
In still a further example, seen in Figure 18 means for co-mingling comprises
a manifold
186 having input ports for a plurality of flows of positively-charged water
from multiple means
for generating positive charge 184 and an output port connected to valve 188
directing an output
flow of water having positive charges therein to a blender for use in well
fracturing operations.
In a variety of examples, the majority of the suspended solids are less than
about 100 microns. In
some such examples substantially all the suspended solids are less than about
100 microns. In a
more limited set of examples, the majority of the suspended solids are less
than about 10
microns. In an even more limited set of examples, substantially all the
suspended solids are less
than about 10 microns.
Referring now to Figures 16 and 17, a system is shown for controlling of
water/liquid
hydrocarbon interface in the three-phase separator, where in the system
comprises: means for
establishing a water/liquid hydrocarbon interface in a three-phase separator;
means for
measuring the water/liquid hydrocarbon interface in the three-phase separator,
wherein a
water/liquid hydrocarbon interface measurement signal results; means for
comparing the
water/liquid hydrocarbon interface measurement signal to a set point, wherein
a comparison
signal results; means for reducing the flow into the three-phase separator of
hydrocarbon well
fracture water when the comparison signal indicates the water/liquid
hydrocarbon interface is
above the set point and for increasing flow into the three-phase separator
when the comparison
signal indicates the water/liquid hydrocarbon interface is below the set
point, wherein the
increasing flow comprises hydrocarbon well fracture water from and make-up
water.
In at least one example, best seen in Figures 14A and 14B, the means for
establishing a
water/liquid hydrocarbon interface comprises a diaphragm wier 140, and,
ideally, the oil-water
interface is established at the wier-bottom 140b. Controlled by flow meters
and control valves
seen in Figures 15 and 16.
Referring now to Figure 17, a more detailed example is seen of the interface
level control of
a three phase, four material separator is provided. As seen in the Figure,
inlet flow of flow-back
water to the separator is measured by turbine meter (FE-101) / transmitter (FT-
101) and
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controlled by flow control valve (FV-101) via flow controller (FIC-101). Make-
up water inlet
flow is measured by orifice plate (FE-103) / dP transmitter (FT-103) and
controlled by flow
control valve (FV-103) via flow controller (FIC-103). Water outflow is
measured by orifice
plate (FE-102) / dP transmitter (FT-102) and controlled by flow control valve
(FV-102) via flow
controller (FIC-102). The oil and water interface level in the separator is
measure by magnetic
level gauge (LG-100) and also by continuous capacitance level transmitter (LT-
100). Both level
devices are mounted on an external level bridle made up of 2 inch diameter
pipe. The bridle
comprises manual valves (HV-1, HV-2, HV-3, HV-4, HV-5, HV-6, HV-9, and HV-10)
for
maintenance on the bridle and attached instrumentation as will occur to those
of skill in the art.
HV-1 and HV-2 are used to isolate the bridle from the process. HV-3 and HV-4
are used to
drain and vent the bridle respectively. HV-5 and HV-6 are used to isolate the
level gauge from
the process. HV-9 and HV-10 are used to isolate the level transmitter chamber
from the process.
Each instrument on the bridle is equipped with valves for maintenance. HV-7
and HV-8 are a
part of the level gauge and are used to drain and vent the level gauge
respectively. HV-11 is a
part of the level transmitter chamber and is used to drain the chamber.
The water/liquid hydrocarbon interface (aka "oil/water interface") level in
the separator is
maintained by level controller (LIC-100) with cascade control to flow-back
inlet flow controller
(FIC-101), make-up water inlet flow controller (FIC-103) and water outflow
controller (FIC-
102). Cascade control is accomplished by the level controller sending a remote
set point (RSP)
to the associated flow controllers and resetting their set points to maintain
interface level.
All controllers are set for steady state condition to maintain normal liquid
level
(NLL=50%). Set points for individual controllers are determined by desired
capacity and
separator sizing.
In one operational example, as the interface level increases, the level
controller resets the
water outflow controller to throttle open while resetting the flow-back inlet
flow controller to
throttle back to maintain normal liquid level. An high liquid level (HLL=80%)
alarm is triggered
from an interface level transmitter analog signal to an operator, allowing the
operator should take
appropriate actions to regain control of the interface level or operating
conditions.
As interface level decreases, the level controller resets the water outflow
controller to
throttle back while the resetting flow-back inlet flow controller to throttle
open to maintain
normal liquid level. If interface level decreases to a low liquid level
(LLL=10%), the system
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places the make-up water flow controller on cascade control from the interface
level controller
by software switch LX-100.
Referring now to Figure 29, a flow diagram of the use of an example of the
invention in a
hydrocarbon well having a well bore 301 with wellbore cemented casing 303
passing through
fracture zones 340 that are isolated by packers 341. Coil tubing 309 is
inserted by rig 311 for
fracture operations known to those of skill in the art. Perforations 356 are
made into the shale
layer 321. As part of the perforation and plugging operation, packers 341 are
placed in the
borehole to isolate the different fracture zones 340. The coil tubing 309 is
inserted into the
targeted areas where fracturing is desired. A fluid, in this case largely
comprising of water, is
pumped through an ion generator 313. The ion generator 313 uses
electromagnetic fields of
influence described herein to generate ionization within the fluid. This now
ionized fluid 353 is
pumped via fracturing pumps 319 into the fracture zones 340.
The ionized fluid 353 is pumped into the fissures 351 as depicted in Fig. 30.
The ionized
fluid 353 is pressurized sufficiently to grow and enlarge the fissure 351. The
ionized fluid 353 is
held at pressure for a predetermined amount of time. While at pressure, the
ionized fluid 353
interacts with the shale layer 321, in this example layered calcite 350, to
create layers of
aragonite crystals 352. The fracture zone 340 is depressurized by coiled
tubing 309 in this
example. The fracture process can vary depending on the service provider and
the environment
of the well. For instance, in an open hole application, a frack point system
may be used instead
of a perforate and plug system. These variations on the fracking processes
possible in a shale
formation are well known to a person of ordinary skill in the art.
During the fracturing operation, fissures 351 within the shale layer 321 are
created and/or
enlarged. The fissures may be created by perforations, high pressure abrasion
techniques, or
other methods known in the art. These fissures 351, located in the fracture
zone 340, expose
layered calcite crystals 350 to the wellbore 301. When the layered calcite 350
orthorhombic
crystal is exposed to the ionized fluid 353, the crystalline insoluble
particle structure of the
layered calcite 350 is transformed into a layered aragonite 352, having an
orthorhombic crystal
line shape. This layered aragonite 352 is in suspension.
Ionized fluid 353 has the ability to avoid scaling encrustation, because the
particles that
cause the scaling are now in suspension instead of solution. By exposing the
layered calcite 350
to ionized fluid 353, the particles form faster than if no ions are present.
This phenomenon
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decreases the size of the particles, preventing them from being large enough
to cause
encrustations or scaling on the exposed surface of the fissures 351.
Ionized fluid 353, in this example ionized water, also eliminates the problem
of non-
biological suspended particle growth because of its effect on avoiding surface
nucleated
precipitation. In addition, the effect of ionized water inhibits corrosion.
Paracolloidal particles of
calcium carbonate (CaCO3) are charged by ionic adsorption, causing them to
decrease in size
such that they are insoluble and remain in suspension. They are transformed
into suspended
crystalline germs of orthorhombic aragonite of calcium carbonate and remain in
suspension.
When the ionized fluid 353 in the fissures 351 at the target fracking zones
340 is
depressurized with coiled tubing, in this example, the calcium carbonate
suspended particles 352,
in this example, aragonite crystals, are removed from the fissures 351 with
the flow back water
or removed by the produced fluids from the formation.
Ionized water has to ability to avoid the buildup of non-biological matter at
the fissures
351. The water is ionized via electromagnetic fields of influence, using for
example a Dolphin
unit as the ion generator 313, utilizing periodic low frequency waveform,
thereby causing the
electroporation of the signal and amplification of the ringing signal by
resonance. The low
power, high frequency, EM waves eventually kill or rupture the membranes of
the
microorganisms within the fluid being ionized. Encapsulation of organic debris
also occurs as a
result of these reactions. The micro-organisms cannot reproduce themselves to
form biofilm
which clog the fissures 351. The ionized fluid in this example, which is
largely comprise of
water, is generated by an ion generator 313 by exposing a fluid to
electromagnetic fields of
influence at a full wave in the frequency range of eighty kilohertz (80KHz) to
three hundred and
sixty kilohertz (360 kHz). In other embodiments the frequency may simply be
higher than eighty
kilohertz (80 kHz). In this example, a frequency of three hundred and sixty
kilohertz (360 kHz)
can cause ringing in a fluid composed mostly of water. In other words, the
natural frequency of
the fluid is being excited. Other fluids which have different natural
frequencies than water may
be excited at those other natural frequencies. The composition of the fluid
will determine which
frequency the ion generator should operate the electromagnetic fields of
influence. A frequency
greater than a full wave at eighty kilohertz (80 kHz) may have the intended
effect of ionizing the
fluid and minimizing the present of biological organism in the fluid.
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When an excess of water-borne positive ions enters a fissure 351 the
positively
charged ions have a phsio-chemical effect on the shale's layered calcite 350
deposits. This
mineralization alters the crystalline structure of the encrustations that have
been deposited within
that matrix. The preferred polymorph of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) is called
layered calcite 350
(rhombohedral) while others polymorphs are called aragonite (orthorhombic),
and valerite
(hexagonal). Ionizing water via pulsed power at high frequencies incorporates
a continuously
varying induced electric field driven by a specific low frequency AC waveform
and a periodic
pulsed signal with a specific range of mid-to-high frequencies.
The low frequency AC waveform affects the method of solid precipitation
nucleation and
the mode of solid precipitation crystal growth. In this way such growth
results in the
precipitation but does not form on surfaces but forms in bulk solution, using
microscopic
suspended particulate, both inorganic and organic, as seed surfaces for
nucleation and particle
growth. In fracturing water calcium carbonate is the primary crystalline solid
precipitated in
water, and is usually a surface-nucleating scale. When exposing the fissures
351 to ionized fluid
353, the calcium carbonate precipitate incorporates into itself other cations
in solution including
magnesium, silicon, aluminum, iron and is converted into a suspended particle
together with
other constituents.
The changes in crystal nucleation kinetics, together with the resulting
aragonite structure,
avoids the formation of surface scale and puts the crystalline structures into
suspension as
individual or coalesced particles. A difference in the relative value of the
electromotive forces,
between the higher relative positive calcium values and the lower radical
values, drives the
conversion from scale into suspended particles. The positively charged ionized
water makes this
selective change possible on the layered calcite formations surfaces when
exposed by the shaped
charges in subsurface shale formations. The effect is the same for both hard
and soft shale.
In another example, the calcium carbonate scale layers are physically opened
up by the
shaped charges exploding into the well bore before the pressurized water
carrying positive ions
are forced into the fissures 351. The fissures 351 are pressurized with
ionized fluid 353, thereby
conveying positive ions to the exposed fissures 351. The ionized fluid 353 is
allowed to remain
in the fracture zone 340 for a few days. After period of time the pressurized
ionized water is
depressurized by coiled tubing 309 and the released hydrocarbons, suspended
particles 352,
proppant plus other materials that a person well known in the art might expect
are carried out of
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the fissures 351 by the flow back and produced water from the wellbore. While
in these fissures
351, the positive ions in, for this example water, selectively interact with
the layered calcite and
change their crystalline structure from calcite (rhombohedral) into the
preferred aragonite
(orthorhombic) polymorph crystal form of suspended particle which the flow
back water
removes from the fissures 351.
The depressurization removes layers of encrustations or scale, depicted here
as layers of
suspended particles 352, in the fissures 351 in a layered fashion and opens up
the channels by
permitting a faster rate of gaseous and liquid hydrocarbons to be carried by
the water flow up to
the surface. This removes bottom hole pressure of the fissures, in a layered
fashion, permits a
greater rate of hydrocarbon flow to be achieved initially and for a longer
period of time than
would otherwise be possible. Calcium carbonate in solution exists as colloidal
particles typically
in the range of 0.01-100um, each one having an overall electric charge known
as the zeta
potential. The magnitude of this potential is the force by which each particle
repels the force of
like charge. This force must be large enough to overcome the force of
particles in approaching
each other, so that Van der Waals forces bring the particles together or
coalesce.
The positive ions are carried in water together with the magnetic and electric
fields and
interact with a resultant zeta force generated in a direction perpendicular to
the plane formed by
the magnetic and electric field vectors. This is called the zeta principal as
depicted in Fig. 31.
This zeta force acts on the current carrying entity, the ion and slows down
the suspended
particles by interaction. Positively charged particles will move in a
direction in accord with the
Right Hand Rule, where the electrical and magnetic fields are represented by
the fingers and the
zeta force by the thumb. The negatively charged particles will move in the
opposite direction.
The result of these zeta forces on the ions is that, in general, positively
charged ions like
calcium and magnesium and negatively charged ions like carbonate and sulfate
are directed
toward each other with increased velocity. The increased velocity results in
an increase in the
number of collisions between the particles, with the result being the
formation of insoluble
particulate matter. Once a precipitate is formed, it serves as a foundation
for the further growth
of the crystalline structure or polymorph of aragonite or orthorhombic,
thereby creating the
particles in suspension. Fig. 31 illustrates the zeta principle and
illustrates the Zeta Potential
Effect on suspended particles. Fig. 31 diagrams the positioning of fields and
force.
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The magnitude of this Zeta Potential defines the force by which each particle
repels
particles of like charge. This zeta potential force is used to overcome the
particles to approach
each other so that the Van der Waals forces will brings the particles together
and achieve
continued growth. The induced resonating electromagnetic fields produced by
the pulsed power
ion generators 313, thereby reducing the zeta potential and allowing the Van
der Waals forces to
promote particle growth.
Achieving the desired effect of the zeta potential by the pulsed power signal
is shown in
Figure 31. Zeta potential is the particle effect that prefers one polymorph to
another. This is
accomplished by preventing one polymorph from growing and until the other
polymorph reaches
its saturation limit. The growing of a crystalline form that uses suspended
particles as nucleation
seeds in bulk solution also facilitates the incorporation of microbes into the
suspended
precipitates. This effect is called encapsulation.
The periodic pulsed signal from the ion generator 313 to the water being
ionized has a
micro/physical and chemical effect on the cell membranes, which is called
electroporation or the
chemical puncturing or rupturing of the cells which kills the micro-organisms.
The pulsing signal
uses the physical principle of resonating frequencies, also referred to as
harmonic frequencies or
ringing frequencies, to amplify the energy that is needed to ionize the fluid
with relatively low
power levels.
Ionized fluid 353 also has the ability to prevent the clogging of the fissures
351 with
particles by flocculation. Ionized water in turn also reduces the problem of
clogging due to
avoiding surface nucleated precipitation. As a result of these interactions
the rate of hydrocarbon
flow will be faster from the bottom hole pressure. This will also extend the
life of a hydrocarbon
well for a longer period of time and increase the percentage of recoverable
reserves from a given
shale formation. This process permits a greater quantity of hydrocarbons to be
extracted at faster
rate of flow for both gases and liquids.
In another example, the techniques described above can be used in a reentry
operation for
a well. A wellsite that has been perforated and fracked previously can be
reentered at a later date
in order to boost its production levels. In that case the ionized fluid 353
would be introduced to a
shale layer 321 by way of coiled tubing 309 in a typical fracking reentry
operation. A perforation
gun may be run into the well to make perforations 356 at new locations.
Packers 341 would be
put into place in order to seal off new fracture zones 340. Then ionized fluid
353, comprising
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ionized water and proppants, would be pumped down into the formation via
fracture pumps 319.
The ionized fluid 353 is then pressurized in order to create and enlarge the
fissures 351 that
resulted from the perforation 356. Layers of suspended particles 352 would
result for the
exposure of ionized fluid 353 to the fissures 351. After maintaining the
pressure in the fracture
zone 340 of interest, the pressure would be relieved, in this case by using
coiled tubing to
compromise one or more of the packers 341. The relief of pressure would force
the suspended
particles 352 out of the fissures 351. Such a reentry job would increase the
production at an
already producing well and increase the overall life of the well.
It should be kept in mind that the previously described embodiments are only
presented
by way of example and should not be construed as limiting the inventive
concept to any
particular physical configuration. Changes will occur to those of skill in the
art from the present
description without departing from the spirit and the scope of this invention.
Each element or
step recited in any of the following claims is to be understood as including
to all equivalent
elements or steps. The claims cover the invention as broadly as legally
possible in whatever form
it may be utilized. Equivalents to the inventions described in the claims are
also intended to be
within the fair scope of the claims. All patents, patent applications, and
other documents
identified herein are incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.
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