Utilizing wet fracturing sand for hydraulic fracturing operations

Abstract

A system and a method that utilizes wet proppants when creating fracturing fluid by receiving wet fracturing sand at a surge tank, vibrating the wet fracturing sand located within the surge tank, liquefying the wet fracturing sand within the surge tank based on the vibration, and metering the liquefied wet fracturing sand from the surge tank to a blending tub.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for creating fracturing fluid, the method comprising:
 receiving wet fracturing sand at a surge tankmounted on a transport; 
 liquefying the wet fracturing sand within at the surge tank using at least one vibration component attached to the surge tank, producing to produce a liquefied wet fracturing sand; 
 receiving, at an auger mounted on the transport, the liquefied wet fracturing sand from the surge tank; and 
 metering the liquefied wet fracturing sand to a blending tub that produces a fracturing fluid, wherein an amount of the liquefied wet fracturing sand output to the blending tub affects an overall proppant concentration within the fracturing fluid. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein liquefying the wet fracturing sand within at the surge tanks tank comprises mechanically vibrating the surge tank using the at least one vibration componentattached to the surge tank. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , further comprising dampening vibration forces generated from mechanically vibrating the surge tank. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein liquefying the wet fracturing sand within at the surge tank comprises:
 generating sound waves using the at least one vibration component; and 
 directing the sound waves towards the wet fracturing sand within the surge tank. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising outputting a liquid onto the wet fracturing sand after receiving the wet fracturing sand at in the surge tank. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5 , wherein outputting liquid onto the wet fracturing sand comprises spraying the liquid using a spray bar affixed to in the surge tank. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 5 , wherein outputting liquid into the wet fracturing sand comprises outputting a liquid to maintain a predetermined amount of the liquid within the surge tank. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein liquefying the wet fracturing sand within at the surge tank comprises mechanically vibrating the wet fracturing sand using a vibration screen prior to the wet fracturing sand entering the surge tank a plurality of the at least one vibration component. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising mixing the liquefied wet fracturing sand with a fluid in the blending tub to generate the fracturing fluid, wherein the blending tub is mounted on the transport. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising synchronizing the surge tank with a sand delivery system to receive the wet fracturing sand at a target rate that is associated with a pump rate for pumping the fracturing fluid from the blending tub into a wellbore. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the surge tank is configured to receive the wet fracturing sand at a rate greater than 20,000 pounds of sand per minute. 
     
     
       12. A method for creating fracturing fluid, the method comprising:
 receiving fracturing sand at a surge tankmounted on a transport, wherein the surge tank is synchronized with a sand delivery system to receive the fracturing sand at a predetermined rate associated with a pump rate for pumping a fracturing fluid into a wellbore; 
 vibrating the fracturing sand as the fracturing sand enters in the surge tank; 
 receiving, at an auger and after vibrating the fracturing sand, the fracturing sand from the surge tank; and 
 metering the fracturing sand to a blending tub that produces the fracturing fluid, wherein an amount of the fracturing sand output to the blending tub affects an overall proppant concentration within the fracturing fluid. 
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12 , further comprising outputting a liquid onto the fracturing sand after receiving the fracturing sand at in the surge tank. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 12 , further comprising a vibrating screen affixed within the surge tank. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 12 , wherein the surge tank is a stationary unit. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 12 , wherein the fracturing sand is received from the surge tank at a metering system, and wherein the metering system meters the fracturing sand to the blending tub. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 16 , wherein the metering system is one of a metered conveyor and a conveyor belt. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 12 , wherein vibrating the fracturing sand in the surge tank comprises vibrating the fracturing sand using a plurality of vibrators associated with the surge tank. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the surge tank is a stationary unit. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the liquefied wet fracturing sand is received from the surge tank at a metering system, and wherein the metering system meters the liquefied wet fracturing sand to the blending tub. 
     
     
       21. The method of  claim 20 , wherein the metering system is a metered conveyor, or a conveyor belt. 
     
     
       22. The method of  claim 20 , wherein the metering system is at least one of a conveyor means, an auger, a gate, and a venturi. 
     
     
       23. A method for creating fracturing fluid, the method comprising:
 storing wet fracturing sand in a storage tank that includes at least one vibration component;   liquefying the wet fracturing sand using the at least one vibration component, and outputting the liquefied wet fracturing sand from the storage tank;   receiving, at a metering system, the liquefied wet fracturing sand output from the storage tank; and   metering, with the metering system, the liquefied wet fracturing sand to a blending tub that produces a fracturing fluid, wherein an amount of the liquefied wet fracturing sand metered to the blending tub affects an overall proppant concentration within the fracturing fluid.   
     
     
       24. The method of  claim 23 , wherein the storage tank is elevated above the metering system, and wherein outputting the liquefied wet fracturing sand from the storage tank comprises outputting the liquefied wet fracturing sand from a bottom of the storage tank using gravity. 
     
     
       25. The method of  claim 23 , wherein the metering system is a metered conveyor. 
     
     
       26. The method of  claim 23 , wherein the metering system is at least one of a conveyor belt, conveyor means, an auger, a gate, and a venturi. 
     
     
       27. The method of  claim 23 , wherein liquefying the wet fracturing sand comprises mechanically vibrating the storage tank using the at least one vibration component attached to the storage tank. 
     
     
       28. The method of  claim 23 , wherein liquefying the wet fracturing sand comprises:
 generating sound waves using the at least one vibration component attached to the storage tank; and   directing the sound waves towards the wet fracturing sand in the storage tank.   
     
     
       29. The method of  claim 23 , further comprising outputting a liquid onto the liquefied wet fracturing sand before the liquefied wet fracturing sand enters the blending tub. 
     
     
       30. The method of  claim 29 , wherein outputting the liquid onto the liquefied wet fracturing sand comprises spraying the liquid onto the liquefied wet fracturing sand. 
     
     
       31. The method of  claim 23 , further comprising mixing the liquefied wet fracturing sand with a fluid in the blending tub to generate the fracturing fluid. 
     
     
       32. A method for creating fracturing fluid, the method comprising:
 storing wet fracturing sand in a storage tank that is affixed with at least one vibrator;   vibrating the wet fracturing sand in the storage tank using the at least one vibrator;   receiving, at a metering system and after vibrating the wet fracturing sand, the wet fracturing sand from the storage tank; and   metering, with the metering system, the wet fracturing sand to a blending tub that produces a fracturing fluid, wherein an amount of the wet fracturing sand metered to the blending tub affects an overall proppant concentration within the fracturing fluid.   
     
     
       33. The method of  claim 32 , wherein the storage tank is elevated above the metering system, and wherein the method further comprises outputting the wet fracturing sand from a bottom of the storage tank using gravity. 
     
     
       34. The method of  claim 32 , wherein the metering system is a metered conveyor, a conveyor belt, or conveyor means. 
     
     
       35. The method of  claim 32 , further comprising outputting liquid onto the wet fracturing sand before the wet fracturing sand enters the blending tub.