Methods of providing or using a storage unit for a fracturing operation

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 providing or using a storage unit for a fracturing operation comprising:
 providing or using the storage unit at a job site for the fracturing operation,
 wherein the storage unit is supported on a structure configured such that the storage unit can be positioned at a height above a blender and is operable to direct a solid material from the storage unit to the blender using gravity, 
 wherein the blender is used to prepare a fracturing fluid that comprises at least the solid material and a liquid, 
 wherein at least one pump is present at the job site to pump the fracturing fluid down hole to perform the fracturing operation, 
 wherein electricity in an amount sufficient to power the at least one pump to pump the fracturing fluid down hole is used to power the at least one pump, and 
 wherein the amount of electricity is produced on-site using field gas.  
   
     
     
       28. The method of  claim 27 , wherein the solid material is sand or proppant.  
     
     
       29. The method of  claim 27 , wherein the structure comprises a plurality of legs.  
     
     
       30. The method of  claim 27 , wherein the storage unit further comprises one or more load sensors.  
     
     
       31. The method of  claim 30 , wherein the load sensors are coupled to an information handling system.  
     
     
       32. The method of  claim 31 , wherein the information handling system is a network storage device.  
     
     
       33. The method of  claim 27 , wherein the solid material is directed into the blender using gravity.  
     
     
       34. The method of  claim 27 , further comprising:
 preparing the fracturing fluid comprising the solid material; and   pumping the fracturing fluid into the down hole location to perform the fracturing operation.    
     
     
       35. The method of  claim 27 , further comprising monitoring consumption of the solid material from the storage unit in real-time.  
     
     
       36. The method of  claim 27 , further comprising determining a change in weight, mass and/or volume of the solid material in the storage unit.  
     
     
       37. The method of  claim 27 , further comprising providing a real-time visual depiction of an amount of the solid material contained in the storage unit, and/or providing an alert when the amount of the solid material in the storage unit reaches a threshold level.  
     
     
       38. The method of  claim 27 , further comprising using a pre-gel blender and pre-gel storage unit for hydrating materials used in the fracturing fluid.  
     
     
       39. The method of  claim 27 , further comprising:
 transferring the solid material from the storage unit to the blender using gravity;   using the blender to prepare the fracturing fluid comprising a liquid and the solid material;   transferring the fracturing fluid to the at least one pump; and   pumping the fracturing fluid into a down hole location to perform the fracturing operation using the at least one pump.    
     
     
       40. The method of  claim 27 , wherein the blender is powered using electricity.  
     
     
       41. The method of  claim 27 , wherein the conditioned field gas is compressed.  
     
     
       42. The method of  claim 27 , wherein the storage unit is one of a plurality of storage units, and the plurality of storage units are supported on the structure configured such that the plurality of storage units can be positioned at a height above the blender and are operable to direct the solid material from the storage unit to the blender using gravity.  
     
     
       43. A method of providing or using a storage unit for a fracturing operation comprising:
 providing or using a storage unit at a job site for the fracturing operation,
 wherein the storage unit is supported on a structure configured such that the storage unit can be positioned at a height above a blender and is operable to direct a solid material from the storage unit to the blender using gravity, 
 wherein the blender is used to prepare a fracturing fluid that comprises at least the solid material and a liquid, 
 wherein at least one pump is present at the job site to pump the fracturing fluid down hole to perform the fracturing operation, and 
 wherein the at least one pump is powered using only electricity produced on-site using field gas.  
   
     
     
       44. The method of  claim 43 , further comprising monitoring consumption of the solid material from the storage unit using an information handling system.  
     
     
       45. The method of  claim 43 , further comprising determining a change in weight, mass and/or volume of the solid material in the storage unit.  
     
     
       46. A method of providing or using a storage unit for a fracturing operation comprising:
 providing or using a storage unit at a job site for the fracturing operation,
 wherein the storage unit is supported on a structure configured such that the storage unit can be positioned at a height above a blender and is operable to direct a solid material from the storage unit to the blender using gravity, 
 wherein the blender is used to prepare a fracturing fluid that comprises at least the solid material and a liquid, 
 wherein at least one pump is present at the job site to pump the fracturing fluid down hole to perform the fracturing operation, and 
 wherein the at least one pump is powered using only electricity produced using conditioned field gas.  
   
     
     
       47. The method of  claim 46 , wherein the blender is powered using the electricity.  
     
     
       48. The method of  claim 46 , further comprising monitoring consumption of the solid material from the storage unit using an information handling system.  
     
     
       49. A method of using a storage unit for a fracturing operation comprising:
 using the storage unit at a job site for the fracturing operation to contain a solid material;   preparing a fracturing fluid comprising at least a liquid and the solid material, wherein a blender is used to prepare the fracturing fluid; and   using at least one pump to pump the fracturing fluid into a down hole location to perform the fracturing operation,   wherein the at least one pump is powered using only one or more generators using conditioned field gas.    
     
     
       50. The method of  claim 49 , further comprising monitoring consumption of the solid material from the storage unit using an information handling system.  
     
     
       51. The method of  claim 49 , further comprising determining a change in weight, mass and/or volume of the solid material in the storage unit.  
     
     
       52. The method of  claim 49 , wherein the storage unit is supported on a structure configured such that the storage unit can be positioned at a height above the blender and is operable to direct the solid material from the storage unit to the blender using gravity.  
     
     
       53. The method of  claim 49 , wherein preparing the fracturing fluid comprises:
 mixing water with a powder that comprises a dry polymer to form a mixture; and   blending the mixture with at least the solid material using the blender, the blender being powered using electricity.    
     
     
       54. A method of using a storage unit for a fracturing operation comprising:
 using the storage unit at a job site for the fracturing operation to contain a solid material;   preparing a fracturing fluid comprising at least a liquid and the solid material, wherein a blender is used to prepare the fracturing fluid; and   pumping the fracturing fluid into a down hole location to perform the fracturing operation, wherein the pumping is powered using only electricity produced using conditioned field gas.    
     
     
       55. The method of  claim 54 , wherein the pumping comprises using a plurality of pumps.  
     
     
       56. The method of  claim 54 , wherein the storage unit further comprises one or more load sensors coupled to an information handling system.  
     
     
       57. The method of  claim 56 , further comprising providing a real-time visual depiction of an amount of the solid material contained in the storage unit, and/or providing an alert when the amount of the solid material in the storage unit reaches a threshold level.  
     
     
       58. The method of  claim 54 , wherein preparing the fracturing fluid comprises:
 mixing water with a powder that comprises a dry polymer to form a mixture; and   blending the mixture with at least the solid material using the blender, the blender being powered using electricity.