Device and method for flowing back wellbore fluids

Abstract

A method for heating flowing back wellbore fluids or heating fluids to treat wellbores or pipelines having a tubing string is disclosed. The wellbore will intersect a hydrocarbon reservoir. The method will include providing a diesel engine that produces heat as a result of its operation. The engine will in turn produce a gas exhaust, a water exhaust, and a hydraulic oil exhaust. The method would further include channeling the exhaust to a series of heat exchangers. The method may further include flowing a wellbore fluid into the heat exchangers and heating the wellbore fluid in the series of heat exchangers by heat transfer from the exhaust to the wellbore fluid.

1 . A method of heating fluid flowing out of a wellbore comprising:
 providing an engine;   producing a gas exhaust from said engine;   producing a water exhaust from said engine;   providing a hydraulic oil pump operatively connected to said engine;   providing hydraulic oil to the hydraulic oil pump for pumping said hydraulic oil;   channeling said gas exhaust to a gas exhaust heat exchanger;   channeling said water exhaust to a water exhaust heat exchanger;   providing a wellbore fluid;   channeling said hydraulic oil to a hydraulic oil heat exchanger;   injecting said wellbore fluid into said water exhaust heat exchanger, thereby heating said wellbore fluid;   injecting said wellbore fluid into said hydraulic oil heat exchanger; and   injecting said wellbore fluid into said gas exhaust heat exchanger got heating said wellbore fluid to a desired temperature.   
     
     
         2 . The method in  claim 1 , wherein the engine is a diesel or other hydrocarbon fuel driven engine. 
     
     
         3 . The method in  claim 1 , further comprising the step of providing an hydraulic oil back pressure controller, controlling the back pressure on an hydraulic oil pump outlet. 
     
     
         4 . The method in  claim 1  wherein the heated wellbore fluid is between 40° F. and 300° F. 
     
     
         5 . The method in  claim 1  wherein, the heated wellbore fluid breaks down emulsions formed due to the cooling of the fluid during flowback from the wellbore. 
     
     
         6 . A method of heating fluid flowing out of a wellbore comprising the steps of:
 providing an engine;   producing a gas exhaust from said engine;   providing a hydraulic oil pump operatively connected to said engine;   providing hydraulic oil to an hydraulic oil pump, pumping said hydraulic oil;   providing hydraulic oil back pressure controller, thereby controlling the back pressure on the hydraulic oil pump outlet;   channeling said gas exhaust to a gas exhaust heat exchanger;   injecting said heating fluid into an hydraulic oil heat exchanger;   injecting said heating fluid into said gas exhaust heat exchanger for heating said heating fluid;   injecting the heated fluid into a heat exchanger whereby the heating fluid is the heating medium for the exchanger; and   injecting the wellbore fluid into the exchanger of the previous step.   
     
     
         7 . The method in  claim 6 , wherein the engine is a diesel or other hydrocarbon fuel driven engine. 
     
     
         8 . The method in  claim 6 , further comprising the step of providing an hydraulic oil back pressure controller, controlling the back pressure on an hydraulic oil pump outlet. 
     
     
         9 . The method in  claim 6 , wherein the heated wellbore fluid is between 40° F. and 300° F. 
     
     
         10 . The method in  claim 6 , wherein the heated wellbore fluid breaks down emulsions formed due to the cooling of the fluid during flowback from the wellbore. 
     
     
         11 . A method of heating fluid and treating a wellbore or pipeline with the heated fluid, comprising the steps of:
 providing an engine;   producing a gas exhaust from said engine;   channeling said gas exhaust to a gas exhaust heat exchanger;   injecting said heating fluid into an hydraulic oil heat exchanger;   injecting said heating fluid into said gas exhaust heat exchanger for heating said heating fluid;   injecting the heated fluid into a heat exchanger whereby the heating fluid is the heating medium for the exchanger; and   injecting the fluid into the exchanger of the previous step; and   pumping the fluid into the wellbore for treating the wellbore, or pipeline for treating the pipeline.