Coal seam gas fracking systems and methods

Abstract

A method, an apparatus, and a computer program product for treating fracking fluids are provided in which a dispersion system receives a portion of a body of fracking fluid collected in a well. The dispersion system may comprise a hydrodynamic mixing chamber and a nozzle. An additive comprising one or more of ozone and oxygen may be mixed with a portion of collected fluid passing through the mixing chamber. The nozzle may disperse a mixture of the collected fluid and additive received from the mixing chamber. The system may comprise a controller having at least one processor configured to monitor the level of the additive or a contaminant in the well. The processor may be configured to cause a portion of the fluid to be pumped from the well through an outflow main when the level of fluid in the well exceeds a threshold level.

1 . A treatment system comprising:
 a collection station having a well for collecting fluid extracted from a subterranean seam during a seam fracturing (“fracking”) operation;   a dispersion system that receives a portion of collected fluid from the well, the dispersion system comprising a hydrodynamic mixing chamber and a nozzle, wherein an additive comprising one or more of ozone and oxygen is mixed with a portion of collected fluid passing through the mixing chamber, and wherein the nozzle disperses a mixture of the collected fluid and additive received from the mixing chamber; and   a controller comprising one or more processors configured to:
 monitor the level of the additive in the well, 
 cause a portion of the fluid to be pumped from the well through an outflow main when the level of fluid in the well exceeds a threshold level, and 
 control a rate of flow of the additive to the mixing chamber. 
   
     
     
         2 . The treatment system of  claim 1 , wherein the dispersion system comprises a manifold that communicates the portion of fluid and the additive to the mixing chamber. 
     
     
         3 . The treatment system of  claim 1 , wherein the additive comprises liquid ozone. 
     
     
         4 . The treatment system of  claim 3 , wherein the controller controls rate of flow of the liquid ozone based on measurements provided by sensors deployed in the well. 
     
     
         5 . The treatment system of  claim 4 , wherein the measurements include a measurement of residual ozone level in the fluid collected in the well. 
     
     
         6 . The treatment system of  claim 4 , wherein the measurements include a measurement of sulfide in the fluid collected in the well. 
     
     
         7 . The treatment system of  claim 4 , wherein the measurements include a measurement of hydrogen sulfide in the well. 
     
     
         8 . The treatment system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to control one or more of an inflow treatment system and an outflow treatment system, wherein the outflow treatment system mixes ozone with fluid pumped from the well, and wherein the outflow treatment system mixes ozone with fluid in a pipe providing the fluid to be collected by the well. 
     
     
         9 . The treatment system of  claim 8 , wherein at least a portion of the fluid pumped from the well is introduced to the subterranean seam. 
     
     
         10 . The treatment system of  claim 9 , wherein the additive comprises a proppant. 
     
     
         11 . A method for treating a fluid extracted from a subterranean seam, comprising the steps of:
 collecting a fluid extracted from the subterranean seam;   mixing an additive comprising one or more of oxygen and ozone with the fluid collected from the subterranean seam in a hydrodynamic mixing chamber of a dispersion system, wherein the hydrodynamic mixing chamber provides a mixture of the fluid through a nozzle of the dispersion system to the fluid collected from the subterranean seam; and   controlling the rate of flow of an additive to the mixing chamber based on a measured concentration of the additive or a contaminant in the fluid collected from the subterranean seam and a rate of flow of the fluid collected from the subterranean seam.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the additive comprises liquid ozone. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the fluid from the subterranean seam is collected in a containment vessel, and further comprising the steps of:
 measuring a concentration of at least one contaminant in an outflow from the containment vessel; and   causing a downstream treatment station to mix the additive with fluid in the outflow when the measured concentration of the at least one contaminant exceeds a predetermined threshold concentration.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the outflow is conducted away from the containment vessel in a force main, and further comprising the steps of:
 detecting whether fluid is flowing in the force main; and   causing a downstream treatment station to introduce ozone into the force main when fluid is flowing in the force main.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the fluid from the subterranean seam is collected in a containment vessel, and further comprising the steps of:
 measuring a concentration of at least one contaminant in the containment vessel; and   causing an upstream treatment station to pre-treat the fluid in an inflow to the containment vessel when the concentration of the at least one contaminant in the well exceeds a threshold concentration.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the fluid from the subterranean seam is collected in a containment vessel, and further comprising the steps of:
 measuring a concentration of at least one contaminant in the containment vessel;   increasing the rate of flow of the additive when the concentration of at least one contaminant measured in the containment vessel exceeds a first predetermined threshold concentration; and   causing an upstream treatment station to introduce the additive to an inflow of the containment vessel when the at least one contaminant measured in the containment vessel exceeds a second predetermined threshold concentration.   
     
     
         17 . A computer program product, comprising:
 a computer-readable medium comprising code for:
 collecting a fluid extracted from a subterranean seam; 
 mixing an additive comprising one or more of oxygen and ozone with the fluid collected from the subterranean seam in a hydrodynamic mixing chamber of a dispersion system, wherein the hydrodynamic mixing chamber provides a mixture of the fluid through a nozzle of the dispersion system to the fluid collected from the subterranean seam; and 
 controlling the rate of flow of an additive to the mixing chamber based on a measured concentration of the additive or a contaminant in the fluid collected from the subterranean seam and a rate of flow of the fluid collected from the subterranean seam. 
   
     
     
         18 . The computer program product of  claim 17 , wherein the additive comprises liquid ozone, wherein the fluid from the subterranean seam is collected in a containment vessel, and wherein the computer-readable medium comprises code for:
 measuring a concentration of at least one contaminant in one or more of the containment vessel, an inflow of the containment vessel, and an outflow from the containment vessel; and   directing at least one of an upstream treatment station and a downstream treatment station to introduce the additive in the inflow or the outflow when the measured concentration of the at least one contaminant exceeds a predetermined threshold concentration.   
     
     
         19 . An apparatus for treating fluid extracted from a subterranean seam, comprising:
 a processing system configured to:
 collect a fluid extracted from the subterranean seam; 
 mix an additive comprising one or more of oxygen and ozone with the fluid in a hydrodynamic mixing chamber of a dispersion system, wherein the hydrodynamic mixing chamber provides a mixture of the additive and fluid through a nozzle of the dispersion system to the fluid collected from the subterranean seam; and 
 control the rate of flow of an additive to the mixing chamber based on a measured concentration of the additive or a contaminant in the fluid collected from the subterranean seam and a rate of flow of the fluid collected from the subterranean seam. 
   
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the additive comprises liquid ozone, wherein the fluid from the subterranean seam is collected in a containment vessel, and wherein the processing system is configured to:
 measure a concentration of at least one contaminant in one or more of the containment vessel, an inflow of the containment vessel, and an outflow from the containment vessel; and   direct at least one of an upstream treatment station and a downstream treatment station to introduce the additive in the inflow or the outflow when the measured concentration of the at least one contaminant exceeds a predetermined threshold concentration.