Mobile sand slurry delivery system

Abstract

A flow system is used to mix and transport a slurry of sand and water in support of a hydraulic fracturing operation that is to be conducted at a well site location. The flow system utilizes lay-flat hose to transport the slurry under motive force provided by one or more centrifugal pumps. The lay-flat hose may be constructed in total lengths exceeding several miles in length and may be provided to place a mobile mine in fluidic communication with the well site location.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A flow system for moving a slurry of proppant through a conduit to support hydraulic fracturing of a well, comprising:
 a mixing station;   a source of water configured to provide water to the mixing station;   a source of sand configured to provide sand to the mixing station;   the mixing station being operable for mixing the water and the sand to form a slurry,   the mixing station having a first pump with an inlet for receiving the slurry and an outlet for discharging the slurry;   a well site; and   lay-flat hose placing the outlet of the first pump in fluidic communication with the well site.   
     
     
         2 . The flow system of  claim 1 , wherein the lay-flat hose has a diameter ranging from four inches to sixteen inches. 
     
     
         3 . The flow system of  claim 2 , wherein the lay-flat hose has a diameter of ten inches. 
     
     
         4 . The flow system of  claim 1 , wherein the first pump is a centrifugal pump. 
     
     
         5 . The flow system of  claim 1 , wherein the lay-flat hose is made of extruded through the weave thermoplastic polyurethane covered material. 
     
     
         6 . The flow system of  claim 1  wherein the lay-flat hose has a manufacturer rating of at least 200 psi working pressure. 
     
     
         7 . The flow system of  claim 1  wherein the lay-flat hose is connected in a plurality of sections having a combined length of at least one mile. 
     
     
         8 . The flow system of  claim 1  wherein the lay-flat hose is connected in a plurality of sections having a combined length of at least two miles. 
     
     
         9 . The flow system of  claim 8  further comprising a boost pump that is in fluidic communication with the first pump and which is downstream of the first pump. 
     
     
         10 . The flow system of  claim 1  wherein the lay-flat hose is connected in a plurality of sections having a combined length of at least three miles. 
     
     
         11 . The flow system of  claim 1  wherein the lay-flat hose is connected in a plurality of sections having a combined length of at least five miles. 
     
     
         12 . The flow system of  claim 1  wherein the lay-flat hose is connected in a plurality of sections, each of which are joined by a stainless steel connector, field fitting or head. 
     
     
         13 . The flow system of  claim 12  further comprising a plurality of boost pumps each of which are in fluidic communication with the first pump and which are located downstream of the first pump. 
     
     
         14 . The flow system of  claim 1 , wherein the first pump is sized to deliver at least 11.5 feet per second (fps) through the lay-flat hose. 
     
     
         15 . The flow system of  claim 1 , wherein the first pump is sized to deliver at least 13 fps through the lay-flat hose. 
     
     
         16 . The flow system of  claim 1 , wherein the sand source is selected from a mobile mine or a central location servicing multiple wells. 
     
     
         17 . The flow system of  claim 1 , further comprising a chemical source configured to provide one or more chemicals for mixing into the slurry. 
     
     
         18 . The flow system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more chemicals include a friction reducer material. 
     
     
         19 . The flow system of  claim 1 , further comprising a means for separating water from the slurry located at the well site. 
     
     
         20 . The flow system of  claim 1 , further comprising a vortex separator located at the well site and which is configured to dewater the slurry. 
     
     
         21 . The flow system of  claim 20 , further comprising a settling pit for the storage of water, the vortex separator having a water discharge and wherein the settling pit is in fluidic communication with the water discharge. 
     
     
         22 . The flow system of  claim 20 , further comprising a radial stacker supporting the vortex separator at a distance above ground and a pile of sand located beneath the vortex separator. 
     
     
         23 . The flow system of  claim 22 , wherein the pile of sand has a water content of less than 16% by weight. 
     
     
         24 . The flow system of  claim 1 , wherein the first pump is driven by a motor capable of delivering at least 150 brake horsepower. 
     
     
         25 . The flow system of  claim 24 , wherein the first pump is driven by an electric motor. 
     
     
         26 . The flow system of  claim 25 , further comprising a generator set that is fueled by natural gas and operably coupled with the electric motor to provide electricity thereto. 
     
     
         27 . The flow system of  claim 24 , wherein the first pump is mechanically driven by an engine that is fueled by natural gas. 
     
     
         28 . The flow system of  claim 1 , wherein the mixing station and the first pump are co-mounted on a conventional blender for use in hydraulic fracturing operations. 
     
     
         29 . The flow system of  claim 1 , wherein the first pump is driven by a motor capable of delivering at least 200 brake horsepower. 
     
     
         30 . The flow system of  claim 1  having a design operating pressure of less than 70 psi. 
     
     
         31 . The flow system of  claim 30  having a design operating pressure of at least 50 psi. 
     
     
         32 . The flow system of  claim 1  having a design operating pressure of greater than 100 psi. 
     
     
         33 . The flow system of  claim 1  having a design operating pressure ranging from 70 psi to 100 psi. 
     
     
         34 . The flow system of  claim 1  further comprising an automated flow control system configured with program logic for implementing a scheme of flow control that utilizes sensed measurements of flow parameters including density, flow rate and pressure to adjust one or more of the flow parameters to maintain the sensed measurements within an established range of operator setpoints. 
     
     
         35 . The flow system of  claim 34 , wherein the program logic includes programmatic instructions for performing a mass balance of slurry material flowing into and out of the lay-flat hose. 
     
     
         36 . The flow system of  claim 35 , wherein the program logic includes programmatic instructions for performing an analysis to ascertain a rate of pressure increase which is used as a factor in maintaining the sensed measurements within an established range of operator setpoints. 
     
     
         37 . A flow system for moving a slurry of proppant through a conduit to support hydraulic fracturing of a well, comprising:
 a mixing station;   a source of water configured to provide water to the mixing station;   a source of sand configured to provide sand to the mixing station;   the mixing station being operable for mixing the water and the sand to form a slurry,   the mixing station having a first pump with an inlet for receiving the slurry and an outlet for discharging the slurry;   a well site; and   a spoolable conduit placing the outlet of the first pump in fluidic communication with the well site.   
     
     
         38 . The flow system of  claim 37  wherein the spoolable conduit consists essentially of plastic shielded polyethylene pipe. 
     
     
         39 . The flow system of  claim 37  wherein the spoolable conduit has a working pressure ranging from 250 psi to 1,000 psi. 
     
     
         40 . The flow system of  claim 1  further including a rigid pipe located immediately downstream of the first pump and between the first pump and the lay-flat hose. 
     
     
         41 . The flow system of  claim 1  wherein the lay-flat hose has an origin proximate the mixing station and a discharge at the wellsite,
 the lay-flat hose being formed in a first section that is configured to discharge into a first pump boost station, 
 the first pump boost station including a first pair of centrifugal pumps arranged in series configured to receive the discharge from the first section of lay-flat hose and to discharge the same at increased pressure into a second section of the lay-flat hose. 
 
     
     
         42 . The flow system of  claim 41  wherein the discharge from the first pair of centrifugal pumps goes directly into the second section of lay-flat hose. 
     
     
         43 . The flow system of  claim 41  further including a rigid pipe located between a point of discharge from the first pair of centrifugal pumps and the second section of lay-flat hose. 
     
     
         44 . The flow system of  claim 43  further including a fuel source located at the pressure boost station. 
     
     
         45 . The flow system of  claim 44  wherein each pump of the first pair of centrifugal pumps is driven by an electric motor, and
 further including a generator located at the well site, 
 the generator being coupled with the fuel source for local supply of fuel to produce electricity for use by the electric motors of the first pair of centrifugal pumps at the first pump boost station. 
 
     
     
         46 . The flow system of  claim 44  wherein each pump of the first pair of centrifugal pumps is driven by an internal combustion engine,
 the internal combustion engines of the first pair of centrifugal pumps being coupled with the fuel source for local supply of fuel to drive the first pair of centrifugal pumps at the first pump boost station. 
 
     
     
         47 . The flow system of  claim 41  wherein the second section of lay-flat hose is configured to discharge the slurry into a second pump boost station,
 the second pump boost station including a second pair of centrifugal pumps arranged in series configured to receive the discharge of slurry from the second section of lay-flat hose and to discharge the same at increased pressure into a third section of the lay-flat hose. 
 
     
     
         48 . The flow system of  claim 1  wherein the lay-flat hose has sufficient flexion to expand a diameter of the hose by about one percent under system operating pressures. 
     
     
         49 . The flow system of  claim 1  wherein the lay-flat hose is constructed and arranged to deliver the slurry directly to a blender located at the well site without first forming a sand pile at the wellsite. 
     
     
         50 . The flow system of  claim 49  further including a water source located at the well site,
 the water source being in fluidic communication with the blender for diluting the slurry at the blender. 
 
     
     
         51 . The flow system of  claim 50  wherein the water source contains water that has been produced in consequence of hydraulic fracturing operations at the well site. 
     
     
         52 . The flow system of  claim 49  wherein the well site is essentially without equipment for the separation of water and sand from the slurry.