Electric or natural gas fired small footprint fracturing fluid blending and pumping equipment

Abstract

Methods and systems for integral storage and blending of the materials used in oilfield operations are disclosed. A modular integrated material blending and storage system includes a first module comprising a storage unit, a second module comprising a liquid additive storage unit and a pump for maintaining pressure at an outlet of the liquid additive storage unit. The system further includes a third module comprising a pre-gel blender. An output of each of the first module, the second module and the third module is located above a blender and gravity directs the contents of the first module, the second module and the third module to the blender. The system also includes a pump that directs the output of the blender to a desired down hole location. The pump may be powered by natural gas or electricity.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An integrated material blending and storage system comprising:
 a storage unit;   a blender located under the storage unit;   wherein the blender is operable to receive a first input from the storage unit through a hopper;   a liquid additive storage module having a first pump to maintain constant pressure at an outlet of the liquid additive storage module;   wherein the blender is operable to receive a second input from the liquid additive storage module; and   a pre-gel blender, wherein the pre-gel blender comprises at least a pre-gel storage unit resting on a leg, further wherein the pre-gel storage unit comprises a central core and an annular space, wherein the annular space hydrates the contents of the pre-gel blender;   wherein the blender is operable to receive a third input from the pre-gel blender;   wherein gravity directs the contents of the storage unit, the liquid additive storage module and the pre-gel blender to the blender;   a second pump; and   a third pump;   wherein the second pump directs the contents of the blender to the third pump; and   wherein the third pump directs the contents of the blender down hole;   wherein at least one of the second pump and the third pump is powered by one of natural gas and electricity.   
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the storage unit comprises a load sensor. 
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the pre-gel blender comprises:
 a feeder coupling the pre-gel storage unit to a first input of a mixer;
 a fourth pump coupled to a second input of the mixer; 
   wherein the pre-gel storage unit contains a solid component of a well treatment fluid;   wherein the feeder supplies the solid component of the well treatment fluid to the mixer;   wherein the fourth pump supplies a fluid component of the well treatment fluid to the mixer; and
 wherein the mixer outputs a well treatment fluid. 
   
     
     
       4. The system of  claim 3 , wherein the well treatment fluid is a gelled fracturing fluid. 
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 4 , wherein the solid component is a gel powder. 
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 4 , wherein the fluid component is water. 
     
     
       7. The system of  claim 3 , wherein the central core contains the solid component of the well treatment fluid. 
     
     
       8. The system of  claim 3 , wherein the well treatment fluid is directed to the annular space. 
     
     
       9. The system of  claim 3 , wherein the annular space comprises a tubular hydration loop. 
     
     
       10. The system of  claim 9 , wherein the well treatment fluid is directed from the mixer to the tubular hydration loop. 
     
     
       11. The system of  claim 3 , wherein the well treatment fluid is selected from the group consisting of a fracturing fluid and a sand control fluid. 
     
     
       12. The system of  claim 3 , further comprising a power source to power at least one of the feeder, the mixer and the pump. 
     
     
       13. The system of  claim 12 , wherein the power source is selected from the group consisting of a combustion engine, an electric power supply and a hydraulic power supply. 
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 13 , wherein one of the combustion engine, the electric power supply and the hydraulic power supply is powered by natural gas. 
     
     
       15. The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a load sensor coupled to one of the storage unit, the liquid additive storage module or the pre-gel blender. 
     
     
       16. The system of  claim 15 , further comprising an information handling system communicatively coupled to the load sensor. 
     
     
       17. The system of  claim 15 , wherein the load sensor is a load cell. 
     
     
       18. The system of  claim 15 , wherein a reading of the load sensor is used for quality control. 
     
     
       19. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the electricity is derived from one of a power grid and a natural gas generator set. 
     
     
       20. A modular integrated material blending and storage system comprising:
 a first module comprising a storage unit;   a second module comprising a liquid additive storage unit and a first pump for maintaining pressure at an outlet of the liquid additive storage unit; and   a third module comprising a pre-gel blender, wherein the pre-gel blender comprises at least a pre-gel storage unit resting on a leg, further wherein the pre-gel storage unit comprises a central core and an annular space, wherein the annular space hydrates the contents of the pre-gel blender;   wherein an output of each of the first module, the second module and the third module is located above a blender; and   wherein gravity directs the contents of the first module through a hopper, the second module and the third module to the blender;   a second pump;   wherein the second pump directs the output of the blender to a desired down hole location; and   wherein the second pump is powered by one of natural gas and electricity.   
     
     
       21. The system of  claim 20 , wherein each of the first module, the second module and the third module is a self erecting module. 
     
     
       22. The system of  claim 20 , wherein the third module comprises:
 a feeder coupling the pre-gel storage unit to a first input of a mixer;   a third pump coupled to a second input of the mixer;   wherein the pre-gel storage unit contains a solid component of a well treatment fluid;   wherein the feeder supplies the solid component of the well treatment fluid to the mixer;   wherein the third pump supplies a fluid component of the well treatment fluid to the mixer; and   wherein the mixer outputs a well treatment fluid.   
     
     
       23. The system of  claim 22 , wherein the well treatment fluid is directed to the blender. 
     
     
       24. The system of  claim 20 , wherein the blender mixes the output of the first module, the second module and the third module. 
     
     
       25. The system of  claim 20 , further comprising a fourth pump for pumping an output of the blender down hole. 
     
     
       26. The system of  claim 25 , wherein the fourth pump is selected from the group consisting of a centrifugal pump, a progressive cavity pump, a gear pump and a peristaltic pump. 
     
     
       27. A method of performing a fracturing operation, the method comprising:
 having a fracturing fluid comprising a liquid and a solid component;   conditioning natural gas obtained from a field on which the fracturing operation is being performed to produce conditioned natural gas;   generating electricity using at least one on-site generator set powered by the conditioned natural gas;   using the electricity to power a plurality of pumps, wherein the plurality of pumps is powered without using diesel; and   using the plurality of pumps to pump the fracturing fluid down hole to perform the fracturing operation.   
     
     
       28. The method of claim 27, wherein conditioning the natural gas comprises cleaning the natural gas. 
     
     
       29. The method of claim 27, wherein conditioning the natural gas comprises removing water from the natural gas. 
     
     
       30. The method of claim 27, wherein conditioning the natural gas comprises compressing the natural gas. 
     
     
       31. The method of claim 27, further comprising converting the natural gas to liquefied natural gas. 
     
     
       32. The method of claim 27, wherein the conditioned natural gas is compressed or liquefied. 
     
     
       33. The method of claim 27, wherein the solid component comprises sand or proppant. 
     
     
       34. The method of claim 27, wherein the fracturing fluid comprises a fluid that is delivered to a blender from a liquid additive storage module having a load sensor to monitor an amount of the fluid delivered to the blender. 
     
     
       35. The method of claim 34, wherein the load sensor monitors the liquid additive storage module in real time and meters the amount of the fluid delivered to the blender. 
     
     
       36. The method of claim 27, wherein the solid component is directed from a storage unit to a blender by gravity. 
     
     
       37. The method of claim 27, further comprising providing power to a transfer pump using the at least one on-site generator set powered by the conditioned natural gas. 
     
     
       38. The method of claim 37, wherein the transfer pump transfers the fracturing fluid from a blender to the plurality of pumps. 
     
     
       39. The method of claim 27, further comprising pre-hydrating at least a portion of the fracturing fluid. 
     
     
       40. The method of claim 27, further comprising pumping the fracturing fluid through a manifold. 
     
     
       41. The method of claim 27, further comprising:
 preparing the fracturing fluid; and   monitoring in real time an amount of the solid component used in preparing the fracturing fluid.   
     
     
       42. The method of claim 27, further comprising blending the fracturing fluid using electric or hydraulic power. 
     
     
       43. The method of claim 27, further comprising preparing the fracturing fluid using equipment powered by electricity. 
     
     
       44. The method of claim 27, wherein the electricity used to power the plurality of pumps powers at least two thirds of total horsepower for the fracturing operation. 
     
     
       45. The method of claim 27, further comprising monitoring a change in weight, mass, and/or volume of the solid component in a storage unit. 
     
     
       46. The method of claim 27, further comprising providing a real-time visual depiction of an amount of the solid component in a storage unit. 
     
     
       47. The method of claim 27, further comprising providing an alert when the solid component in a storage unit reaches a threshold level. 
     
     
       48. The method of claim 27, further comprising using at least one load sensor coupled to an information handling system to monitor a weight, mass, and/or volume of the solid component. 
     
     
       49. The method of claim 48, wherein the at least one load sensor is wirelessly coupled to the information handling system. 
     
     
       50. The method of claim 48, wherein the information handling system is a network storage device. 
     
     
       51. The method of claim 48, further comprising designating an interval at which the information handling system takes a reading of the at least one load sensor. 
     
     
       52. The method of claim 27, further comprising monitoring consumption of the solid component during the fracturing operation in real-time. 
     
     
       53. The method of claim 27, further comprising using a silo for holding the solid component. 
     
     
       54. The method of claim 27, further comprising using a support for at least one storage unit containing the solid component, wherein the support holds the at least one storage unit at a height above a blender. 
     
     
       55. The method of claim 27, further comprising hydrating a dry gel powder or a dry polymer for use in the fracturing fluid. 
     
     
       56. The method of claim 27, further comprising using a storage unit coupled to a truck or trailer to hold the liquid or the solid component. 
     
     
       57. The method of claim 27, further comprising using a liquid additive storage module coupled to a truck or trailer to hold a liquid additive. 
     
     
       58. The method of claim 27, further comprising boosting the fracturing fluid to the plurality of pumps. 
     
     
       59. The method of claim 27, further comprising pumping the fracturing fluid through a manifold. 
     
     
       60. The method of claim 27, further comprising using an electric powered blender located beneath a liquid additive storage module to prepare the fracturing fluid. 
     
     
       61. The method of claim 27, further comprising using an electric powered blender located beneath a storage unit containing the solid component to prepare the fracturing fluid. 
     
     
       62. The method of claim 61, wherein the solid component is sand. 
     
     
       63. The method of claim 27, further comprising using sensor readings to monitor and control during the fracturing operation. 
     
     
       64. The method of claim 27, wherein the fracturing fluid is prepared using a liquid gel concentrate. 
     
     
       65. The method of claim 27, wherein the solid component is sand.