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:
 using at least one pump to pump a fracturing fluid down hole in the performing of the fracturing operation;   using electricity to power the at least one pump, wherein the electricity is sufficient to power the at least one pump and is produced on-site using field gas; and   using electricity from a power grid in the performing of the fracturing operation.   
     
     
       28. The method of  claim 27  wherein the fracturing fluid comprises a liquid and a solid material. 
     
     
       29. The method of  claim 28  wherein the solid material comprises sand or proppant. 
     
     
       30. The method of  claim 28  wherein the solid material is directed from at least one storage unit to a blender without a powered conveyor system. 
     
     
       31. The method of  claim 30  further comprising monitoring real-time consumption of the solid material from the at least one storage unit. 
     
     
       32. The method of  claim 31  wherein the electricity from the power grid is used to power equipment used for the monitoring real-time consumption of the solid material. 
     
     
       33. The method of  claim 27  further comprising pumping the fracturing fluid through a manifold. 
     
     
       34. The method of  claim 27  wherein the power provided to the at least one pump using the electricity produced using the field gas powers at least two thirds of a total horsepower for the fracturing operation. 
     
     
       35. The method of  claim 27  wherein the fracturing fluid is transferred to the at least one pump using a transfer pump. 
     
     
       36. The method of  claim 35  wherein the electricity from the power grid is used to power the transfer pump. 
     
     
       37. The method of  claim 27  wherein the electricity from the power grid is used to power a pump. 
     
     
       38. The method of  claim 27  wherein the field gas is conditioned field gas. 
     
     
       39. The method of  claim 38  wherein the conditioned field gas has been conditioned by removing water. 
     
     
       40. The method of  claim 38  wherein the conditioned field gas is compressed. 
     
     
       41. The method of  claim 38  wherein the conditioned field gas is liquefied. 
     
     
       42. A method of performing a fracturing operation, the method comprising:
 having a fracturing fluid comprising a liquid and a solid material;   using electricity sufficient to power a first pump to pump the fracturing fluid down hole in the performing of the fracturing operation, wherein the electricity sufficient to power the first pump is produced on-site using field gas; and   using electricity sufficient to power a second pump to pump the fracturing fluid down hole in the performing of the fracturing operation, wherein the electricity sufficient to power the second pump is from a power grid.   
     
     
       43. The method of  claim 42  wherein the fracturing fluid further comprises a liquid additive that is delivered to a blender from a liquid additive storage module having a load sensor to monitor an amount of the liquid additive delivered to the blender. 
     
     
       44. The method of  claim 42  wherein the solid material is directed from at least one storage unit to a blender without a powered conveyor system, and wherein the blender is used to prepare the fracturing fluid. 
     
     
       45. The method of  claim 44  wherein the at least one storage unit comprises a silo. 
     
     
       46. The method of  claim 44  further comprising monitoring real-time consumption of the solid material from the at least one storage unit during the fracturing operation. 
     
     
       47. The method of  claim 46  further comprising using one or more load sensors to monitor the real-time consumption of the solid material from the at least one storage unit during the fracturing operation. 
     
     
       48. A method of performing a fracturing operation, the method comprising:
 using at least one pump to pump a fracturing fluid down hole in the performing of the fracturing operation;   using only electricity to power the at least one pump, wherein the electricity is produced on-site using field gas; and   using electricity from a power grid in the performing of the fracturing operation.   
     
     
       49. The method of  claim 48  wherein the power provided to the at least one pump using the electricity produced using the field gas powers at least two thirds of a total horsepower for the fracturing operation. 
     
     
       50. The method of  claim 48  wherein a blender is used to prepare the fracturing fluid and is powered with the electricity from the power grid. 
     
     
       51. The method of  claim 48  wherein the using the electricity from the power grid in the performing of the fracturing operation comprises powering at least a second pump used to pump the fracturing fluid down hole in the performing of the fracturing operation with the electricity from the power grid. 
     
     
       52. A method of performing a fracturing operation, the method comprising:
 using at least one pump to pump a fracturing fluid down hole in the performing of the fracturing operation;   using electricity sufficient to power the at least one pump, wherein the electricity is produced using at least one on-site generator powered with field gas; and   using electricity from a power grid in the performing of the fracturing operation.   
     
     
       53. The method of  claim 52  wherein the power provided to the at least one pump using the electricity produced using the at least one on-site generator powers at least two thirds of a total horsepower for the fracturing operation. 
     
     
       54. The method of  claim 52  further comprising directing a solid material from a storage unit to a blender without a powered conveyor system to prepare the fracturing fluid. 
     
     
       55. The method of  claim 54  wherein the using the electricity from the power grid in the performing of the fracturing operation comprises powering the blender with the electricity from the power grid. 
     
     
       56. The method of  claim 52  wherein the using the electricity from the power grid in the performing of the fracturing operation comprises powering at least one pump used to pump a fracturing fluid down hole to perform the fracturing operation with the electricity from the power grid.