CA2893087A1 - System and method for heating a well treatment fluid - Google Patents
System and method for heating a well treatment fluid Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- CA2893087A1 CA2893087A1 CA2893087A CA2893087A CA2893087A1 CA 2893087 A1 CA2893087 A1 CA 2893087A1 CA 2893087 A CA2893087 A CA 2893087A CA 2893087 A CA2893087 A CA 2893087A CA 2893087 A1 CA2893087 A1 CA 2893087A1
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- exhaust gas
- engine
- incinerator
- heat exchanger
- treatment fluid
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Pending
Links
- 239000003180 well treatment fluid Substances 0.000 title claims abstract description 24
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 title claims abstract description 17
- 238000010438 heat treatment Methods 0.000 title claims abstract description 11
- 239000012530 fluid Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 43
- 239000000446 fuel Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 17
- 239000000203 mixture Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 13
- 238000011282 treatment Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 8
- 238000007599 discharging Methods 0.000 claims 3
- 239000007789 gas Substances 0.000 description 71
- 239000003570 air Substances 0.000 description 8
- 230000015572 biosynthetic process Effects 0.000 description 8
- 239000011435 rock Substances 0.000 description 5
- ATUOYWHBWRKTHZ-UHFFFAOYSA-N Propane Chemical compound CCC ATUOYWHBWRKTHZ-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 4
- 239000000654 additive Substances 0.000 description 4
- 238000002485 combustion reaction Methods 0.000 description 4
- 239000000126 substance Substances 0.000 description 4
- XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N water Substances O XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 4
- MWUXSHHQAYIFBG-UHFFFAOYSA-N nitrogen oxide Inorganic materials O=[N] MWUXSHHQAYIFBG-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 3
- CSCPPACGZOOCGX-UHFFFAOYSA-N Acetone Chemical compound CC(C)=O CSCPPACGZOOCGX-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- CURLTUGMZLYLDI-UHFFFAOYSA-N Carbon dioxide Chemical compound O=C=O CURLTUGMZLYLDI-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- 238000006073 displacement reaction Methods 0.000 description 2
- VNWKTOKETHGBQD-UHFFFAOYSA-N methane Chemical compound C VNWKTOKETHGBQD-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- 238000012986 modification Methods 0.000 description 2
- 230000004048 modification Effects 0.000 description 2
- 239000001294 propane Substances 0.000 description 2
- LFQSCWFLJHTTHZ-UHFFFAOYSA-N Ethanol Chemical compound CCO LFQSCWFLJHTTHZ-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- DGAQECJNVWCQMB-PUAWFVPOSA-M Ilexoside XXIX Chemical compound C[C@@H]1CC[C@@]2(CC[C@@]3(C(=CC[C@H]4[C@]3(CC[C@@H]5[C@@]4(CC[C@@H](C5(C)C)OS(=O)(=O)[O-])C)C)[C@@H]2[C@]1(C)O)C)C(=O)O[C@H]6[C@@H]([C@H]([C@@H]([C@H](O6)CO)O)O)O.[Na+] DGAQECJNVWCQMB-PUAWFVPOSA-M 0.000 description 1
- 230000006978 adaptation Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000012080 ambient air Substances 0.000 description 1
- 229910002092 carbon dioxide Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 239000001569 carbon dioxide Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000004891 communication Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000007423 decrease Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000002283 diesel fuel Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000006185 dispersion Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000003912 environmental pollution Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000008014 freezing Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000007710 freezing Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000003502 gasoline Substances 0.000 description 1
- 229930195733 hydrocarbon Natural products 0.000 description 1
- 150000002430 hydrocarbons Chemical class 0.000 description 1
- 238000002347 injection Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000007924 injection Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 description 1
- QSHDDOUJBYECFT-UHFFFAOYSA-N mercury Chemical compound [Hg] QSHDDOUJBYECFT-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 229910052753 mercury Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 239000003345 natural gas Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000012188 paraffin wax Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000013618 particulate matter Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000011084 recovery Methods 0.000 description 1
- 229910052708 sodium Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 239000011734 sodium Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000007787 solid Substances 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
- Y02T—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION
- Y02T10/00—Road transport of goods or passengers
- Y02T10/10—Internal combustion engine [ICE] based vehicles
- Y02T10/12—Improving ICE efficiencies
Landscapes
- Heat-Exchange Devices With Radiators And Conduit Assemblies (AREA)
Abstract
Description
Field of the Invention [0001] The present invention relates to treatment of oil and gas wells, and in particular, to a system and method for heating a well treatment fluid such as a fracturing fluid used in hydraulic fracturing operations or an oil used in hot oiling operations.
Background of the Invention
Summary of the Invention
Brief Description of the Drawings [00091 In the drawings, like elements are assigned like reference numerals.
The drawings are not necessarily to scale, with the emphasis instead placed upon the principles of the present invention. Additionally, each of the embodiments depicted are but one of a number of possible arrangements utilizing the fundamental concepts of the present invention. The drawings are briefly described as follows:
[0010] Figure 1 is a drawing of a schematic representation of one embodiment of the system of the present invention used to heat a fracturing fluid, using heat recovered from the exhaust gas of an engine used to drive a frac pump.
[0011] Figure 2 is a drawing of a,schematic representation of another embodiment of the system of the present invention used to heat oil, using heat recovered from the exhaust gas of a truck engine used to drive a pump used in a hot oiling operation.
Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments [0012] The invention relates to heating of a well treatment fluid for an oil and gas well.
When describing the present invention, all terms not defined herein have their common art-recognized meanings. To the extent that the following description is of a specific embodiment or a particular use of the invention, it is intended to be illustrative only, and not limiting of the claimed invention. It should be understood that alternatives, modifications and equivalents can be made or substituted without departing from the principle or scope of the claimed invention.
[0013] As used herein, the term "well treatment fluid" means any fluid that is injected into a well, and includes, without limitation, fluids used in hydraulic fracturing operations and hot oiling operations.
[0014] With reference to Figure 1, one embodiment of the system (10) of the present invention is now described. The system (10) is used to heat a fracturing fluid using heat recovered from a plurality of engines (100a ¨ 100d), each of which drives a frac pump (110a - 110d). In general, the system (10) comprises an incinerator (20), a manifold (40), and a heat exchanger (50).
[0015] Each engine (100) drives the associated frac pump (110) to inject the fracturing fluid under high pressure into the rock formation. The system (10) is not limited to use with a particular configuration or fuel source of the engine (100), provided that, when running, the engine (100) emits an engine exhaust gas through an engine exhaust opening. The engine (100) may be an internal combustion engine that combusts fuel in a combustion chamber to produce a high pressure and high temperature gas, which applies a driving force to an engine component such as a piston or turbine. In one embodiment, the engine (100) runs on diesel fuel. In other embodiments, the engine (100) runs on natural gas, gasoline, propane, or other combustible fuel. In embodiments, the engine (100) may be a reciprocating engine, a turbine engine or a rotary engine.
Engines (100) and frac pumps (110) suitable for use in hydraulic fracturing treatments are known to persons skilled in the art. The temperature of the engine exhaust gases may be on the order of about 900 C or more, but the system (10) of the present invention is not limited by any minimum temperature of the engine exhaust gas.
[0016] The incinerator (20) combusts a fuel to generate an incinerator exhaust gas, the heat of which is transferred to the fracturing fluid. Incinerators (20) suitable for heating fracturing fluid are known to persons skilled in the art. The system (10) is not limited to any particular configuration of incinerator (20), provided that the incinerator (20) has a burn chamber and generates an incinerator exhaust gas.
[0017] In one embodiment as shown in Figure 1, the incinerator (20) is a gas-fired cyclonic incinerator as described in U.S. Patent No. 8,443,740 to Romeo, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein, where permitted. The cyclonic incinerator (20) includes a cylindrical outer burn chamber (22) with an elongate forced air opening (24).
A forced air manifold (not shown) is disposed concentrically outside the outer burn chamber (22) to create a cyclonic air flow around the axis of the outer burn chamber (22).
An inner burn chamber (26) has one end (28) in communication with the outer burn chamber, and an opposite end that forms an exhaust gas opening (30). A gas inlet (32) is positioned to supply a gaseous fuel, such as propane, into the outer burn chamber (22).
The ignited gaseous fuel travels in the direction of the forced air through the outer burn chamber (22), and into the inner burn chamber (26). The combustion of the gaseous fuel produces an incinerator exhaust gas which exits through an exhaust gas opening (30).
[0018] The manifold (40) collects engine exhaust gas from the engine (100) and directs the engine exhaust gas into the heat exchanger (50) either directly, or indirectly, into the heat exchanger (50). In the embodiment shown in Figure 1, the engine (100) directs the engine exhaust gas indirectly to the heat exchanger (50), via the burn chamber of the incinerator (20), where it mixes with air that is to be combusted with the gaseous fuel. In one embodiment, the engine exhaust gas is directed to or combined with an air intake for the incinerator. In other embodiments (not shown), the manifold (40) may direct the engine exhaust gas into the heat exchanger (50) indirectly through components other than or in addition to the incinerator (20).
[0019] In the embodiment shown in Figure 1, the manifold (40) comprises a flow line.
A first end of the flow line has a plurality of branches (42a - 42d), each of which is connected to an engine exhaust opening of a different one of the engines (100a - 100d).
The second end (44) of the flow line terminates in the burn chamber of the incinerator (20). Preferably, the length of the manifold (40) is limited and the manifold is insulated to minimize loss of heat in the engine exhaust gas between the engine exhaust opening and the bum chamber of the incinerator (20). In embodiments, the manifold (40) may be either permanently or releasably coupled to the incinerator (20) and the exhaust gas opening of the engine (100). In embodiments, the manifold (40) may be adapted to sealingly engage the engine exhaust opening so as to direct substantially all of the engine exhaust gas to the burn chamber of the incinerator (20), or may direct only a portion of the engine exhaust gas to the burn chamber of the incinerator (20).
[0020] The heat exchanger (50) transfers heat from the engine exhaust gas to the fracturing fluid, Heat exchangers (50) suitable for heating fracturing fluid are known to persons skilled in the art. The system of the present invention is not limited to any particular configuration of heat exchanger (50).
[0021] In one embodiment as shown in Figure 1, the heat exchanger (50) is a heat exchanger as described in International Patent Application Publication no. WO
2014/063249 to Romeo, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein, where permitted. The heat exchanger (50) has a shell (52) internally divided into a first vessel (54) and an second vessel (56) by a pipe retaining plate (58) that sealingly retains a plurality of heat pipes (60). Each of the heat pipes (60) contains a heat transfer substance (e.g., water, alcohol, acetone, sodium or mercury), and has a first end located in the first vessel (54) and a second end located in the second vessel (56). The first vessel (54) has an inlet (62) coupled to the incinera4pr exhaust gas opening (30), and an outlet (64) that is coupled to an exhaust (66). A fan (68) situated between the outlet (64) and the exhaust (66) creates a suction to draw gas through the first vessel (54). The first vessel (54) is internally configured to direct gas through a porous dispersion plate (not shown) that distributes the gas amongst the first ends of the heat pipes (60). The second vessel (56) has an inlet (70) that may be coupled to a supply line to receive unheated fracturing fluid from a fracturing fluid source (not shown), and an outlet (72) that may be coupled to a supply line to discharge heated fracturing fluid to the frac pumps (100) as shown in Figure 1, or to a storage tank (not shown). The second vessel (56) has an internal baffle (not shown) that guides the fracturing fluid through a serpentine channel in the second vessel (56).
100221 The use and operation of the system (10) of the present invention is now described with reference to the embodiment shown Figure 1. The incinerator (20) and heat exchanger (50) are mounted on a mobile trailer (80), along with a pump (82), a generator (84) and a controller (86). The pump (82) is coupled to the inlet (70) of the second vessel (56) of the heat exchanger (50) to pump fracturing fluid through the second vessel (56). The generator (84) supplies power to the ignition source of the incinerator (20), the fan (68), the pump (82), and the controller (86). The controller (86) may be a programmable logic controller (PLC) and is operatively connected to the pump (82), generator (84), and the incinerator (20) to control these components, so as to achieve a desired flow rate and the temperature of the heated fracturing fluid produced by the system (10). The frac pumps (100) and their associated engines (110) may be mounted on a different trailer (not shown) or on a skid situated at the remote well location.
[0023] As necessary, each branch (42a ¨ 42d) of the manifold (40) is coupled to the engine exhaust gas outlet of a different one of the engines (100a - 100d). The gas inlet (32) of the incinerator (20) is coupled via a supply line to a gas fuel source (not shown), which may also be mounted to the trailer (80). The inlet (70) of the second vessel (56) of the heat exchanger (50) is coupled via a supply line to a source of unheated fracturing fluid (not shown), such as a reservoir, an above-ground storage tank or a tanker truck.
The outlet (72) of the second vessel (56) of the heat exchanger (50) is coupled via a supply line either to the inlet of the frac pumps (110), as shown in Figure 1, or to a storage tank.
[0024] Once set up in this manner, the engines (100) of the frac pumps (11) are run to inject the fracturing fluid into the fot;mation. The manifold (40) collects and directs these engine exhaust gases emitted by the running engines (100) into the burn chamber (22, 26) of the incinerator (20). In the bum chamber (22, 26), the engine exhaust gases mix with the relatively cooler ambient air that is drawn into the burn chamber (22, 26) for combustion with the gaseous fuel. At the same time, the incinerator (20) is ignited to combust a gas fuel supplied via the gas inlet (32) and possibly components of the engine exhaust gas, to produce an incinerator exhaust gas.
[0025] The fan (68) creates a suction that draws the mixture of incinerator exhaust gas and engine exhaust gas from the inner bum chamber (26), through the first vessel (54) of the heat exchanger (50), ultimately through exhaust (66). At the same time, the pump (82) pressurizes unheated fracturing fluid via the inlet (70) into the second vessel (56). As the mixture of incinerator exhaust gas and engine exhaust gas, and the fracturing fluid simultaneously stream through the first vessel (54) and second vessel (56), respectively,
[0026] With reference to Figure 2, another embodiment of the system (10) of the present invention is now described. The system (10) and its operation are substantially similar to the embodiment of the system (10), except in the following respects. The inlet (70) of the second vessel (56) of the heat exchanger (50) is coupled via supply line to an oil storage tank (not shown) mounted on the trailer (80). The engine (100) that drives the pump (110) is the truck engine, which also powers a truck (not shown) used to tow the trailer (80). The pump (110) is mounted to the trailer (80) and is connected to a pump line for injecting hot oil into a wellbore during hot oiling operations. ' [0027] The recovery of engine exhaust gas has several potential benefits.
First, the resulting mixture of engine exhaust gas and incinerator exhaust gas at the exhaust gas opening (30) of the incinerator (20) should have a higher temperature than if the engine exhaust gas were not so recovered. The additional heat of the engine exhaust gas may be transferred to the well treatment fluid when the mixture of incinerator exhaust gas and engine exhaust gas is streamed through the heat exchanger (50). This reduces the amount of gas fuel that needs to be combusted by the incinerator (20) to produce a given flow rate and temperature of gas through the first vessel (54) of the heat exchanger (50).
Second, the engine exhaust gas warms the air drawn into the burn chamber of the incinerator (20). This decreases the lower flammability limit of the gaseous fuel combusted therein, thus allowing for the burning of leaner gaseous fuel mixtures in the incinerator (20). Third, collecting the engine exhaust gas facilitates control and treatment thereof, if so desired. As such, the system and method of the present invention may be used to improve the energy efficiency of hydraulic fracturing operations or hot oiling operations, and control the atmospheric emissions associated with these operations.
[0028] As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, various modifications, adaptations and variations of the foregoing specific disclosure can be made without departing from the scope of the invention claimed herein.
Claims (14)
(a) a heat exchanger for transferring heat from the engine exhaust gas to the well treatment fluid; and (b) a manifold adapted to direct the engine exhaust gas either directly or indirectly to the heat exchanger.
(a) running the engine to emit the engine exhaust gas;
(b) directing the exhaust gas either directly or indirectly to a heat exchanger;
and (c) transferring heat from the engine exhaust gas to the well treatment fluid in the heat exchanger.
(a) combusting a fuel in the burn chamber of the incinerator to generate a mixture of an incinerator exhaust gas and the engine exhaust gas; and (b) transferring heat from the mixture of the incinerator exhaust gas and the engine exhaust gas to the well treatment fluid in the heat exchanger.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US201462003605P | 2014-05-28 | 2014-05-28 | |
US62/003,605 | 2014-05-28 |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
CA2893087A1 true CA2893087A1 (en) | 2015-11-28 |
Family
ID=54784108
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
CA2893087A Pending CA2893087A1 (en) | 2014-05-28 | 2015-05-28 | System and method for heating a well treatment fluid |
Country Status (1)
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CA (1) | CA2893087A1 (en) |
Cited By (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
CN116785990A (en) * | 2023-08-23 | 2023-09-22 | 大庆信辰油田技术服务有限公司 | Continuous airtight sand mixing device for carbon dioxide fracturing |
-
2015
- 2015-05-28 CA CA2893087A patent/CA2893087A1/en active Pending
Cited By (2)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
CN116785990A (en) * | 2023-08-23 | 2023-09-22 | 大庆信辰油田技术服务有限公司 | Continuous airtight sand mixing device for carbon dioxide fracturing |
CN116785990B (en) * | 2023-08-23 | 2023-12-22 | 大庆信辰油田技术服务有限公司 | Continuous airtight sand mixing device for carbon dioxide fracturing |
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