Method and Apparatus for Modifying a Cargo Container to Deliver Sand to a Frac Site

Abstract

A cargo container is modified to carry a fracing proppant such as sand from a quarry or source to the frac site. Openings are cut in the top and bottom of a cargo container and hydraulically operated sliding doors are placed there under. A hopper module with the walls being inclined to approximately the angle of repose for the proppant is installed inside the cargo container. The hopper module is sealed inside the cargo container so that a proppant enters through the top opening at the quarry and flows out through the bottom opening at the fracing site.

What I claim is: 
     
         1 . A modified cargo container for carrying a fracing proppant such as sand from a quarry or source to a frac site, the modified cargo container comprising:
 a cargo container with cargo doors on one end thereof;   a top opening and a bottom opening being cut in said cargo container;   a hopper module inserted into said cargo container through said cargo doors, said hopper module having a frame there under to support walls of said hopper module at an angle near the angle of repose of said proppant so that after said hopper module in said cargo container is loaded through said top opening with said proppant, essentially all said proppant may subsequently flow out said hopper module and said cargo container via said lower opening;   a top sliding door being located at said top opening;   a bottom sliding door being located at said bottom opening;   operating devices for actuating said top sliding door to open or close said top opening at selected times and actuating said bottom sliding door to open or close said bottom opening at selected times.   
     
     
         2 . The modified cargo container for carrying a fracing proppant therein as recited in  claim 1  wherein inside of said hopper module is sealed to inside walls of said cargo container. 
     
     
         3 . The modified cargo container for carrying a fracing proppant therein as recited in  claim 2  wherein said walls of said hopper module are slick. 
     
     
         4 . The modified cargo container for carrying a fracing proppant therein as recited in  claim 3  wherein inside walls of said cargo container above said hopper module are coated with a slick material. 
     
     
         5 . The modified cargo container for carrying a fracing proppant therein as recited in  claim 1  wherein said operating devices are hydraulic cylinders connected to a source of pressurized hydraulic fluid, an upper hydraulic cylinder operates said top sliding door and a lower hydraulic cylinder operates said lower sliding door. 
     
     
         6 . The modified cargo container for carrying a fracing proppant therein as recited in  claim 5  wherein said top sliding door wedges shut in a wedge shaped slot of an upper hatch and said bottom sliding door wedges shut in a wedge shaped slot of a lower hatch to close said top opening or said bottom opening, respectively. 
     
     
         7 . The modified cargo container for carrying a fracing proppant therein as recited in  claim 6  further comprising an upper control panel for operating said upper hydraulic cylinder to open/close said upper hatch and a lower control panel for operating said lower hydraulic cylinder to open/close said lower hatch. 
     
     
         8 . The modified cargo container for carrying a fracing proppant therein as recited in  claim 7  wherein said upper control panel and said lower control panel are located on said cargo doors. 
     
     
         9 . A method of modifying a cargo container having cargo doors on one end thereof to transport a fracing proppant such as sand from one location to another, said method of modifying comprising the steps of:
 cutting an upper opening and a lower opening in a top and bottom, respectively, of said cargo container;   inserting a hopper module through said cargo doors and anchoring said hopper module in said cargo container, said hopper module having hopper walls mounted on a frame with the angle of said hopper walls being approximately equal to an angle of repose for said proppant;   coating said hopper walls and part of inside walls of said cargo container with a slick material to aid in flow of said fracing proppant therein;   securing an upper hatch with an upper sliding door therein at said upper opening and a lower hatch with a lowering sliding door therein at said lower opening;   operating said upper sliding door and/or said lower sliding door to insert said proppant into said hopper module or to remove said proppant from said hopper module.   
     
     
         10 . The method of modifying a cargo container to transport said proppant therein as recited in  claim 9  includes during said operating step wedging said upper sliding door and said lower sliding door against said upper opening and said lower opening, respectively, to prevent flow of proppant there through. 
     
     
         11 . The method of modifying a cargo container to transport said proppant therein as recited in  claim 10  wherein during said operating step includes activating (a) an upper hydraulic cylinder to open/close said upper sliding door and (b) a lower hydraulic cylinder to open/close said lower sliding door. 
     
     
         12 . The method of modifying a cargo container to transport said proppant therein as recited in  claim 11  further includes locating an upper control panel and a lower control panel in said cargo doors, said upper control panel controlling said upper sliding door and said lower control panel controlling said lower sliding door. 
     
     
         13 . The method of modifying a cargo container to transport said proppant therein as recited in  claim 12  wherein said upper control panel and said lower control panel have both a manual and a remote way to operate said upper hydraulic cylinder or said lower hydraulic cylinder, respectively. 
     
     
         14 . The method of modifying a cargo container to transport said proppant therein as recited in  claim 9  wherein said coating step includes spraying inside of said hopper module and said cargo container with a liner to aid flow of said proppant from said cargo container. 
     
     
         15 . A method for delivering a proppant such as sand to a site of a well being fraced, the method including the following steps:
 obtaining a proppant at its source;   loading said proppant into modified cargo containers through top notches therein into a hopper located inside each of said modified cargo containers;   transporting said modified cargo containers with said proppant therein to said site;   lifting one of said modified cargo containers with said proppant therein above a bulk sand container with a rough terrain container handler;   opening a bottom hatch of the lifted modified cargo container to empty said proppant into said bulk sand container;   setting the empty modified cargo container inside with said rough terrain container handler;   repeating said lifting, opening and sitting steps with smaller full modified cargo container by said rough terrain container handler;   conveying said proppant to a blender for mixing with fracing fluid; and   pumping the mixed proppant and fracing fluid into said well.   
     
     
         16 . The method for delivering proppant to the site of a well being fraced as recited in  claim 15  wherein during said sitting of the empty modified cargo containers inside, the modified cargo containers are stacked by said rough container handler. 
     
     
         17 . The method for delivering proppant to the site of a well being fraced as recited in  claim 16  wherein after said transporting step said modified cargo containers are unloaded and stored at said site by said rough terrain container handler. 
     
     
         18 . The method for delivering proppant to the site of a well being fraced as recited in  claim 17  wherein said top hatches are only open during loading and said bottom hatches are only open during emptying. 
     
     
         19 . The method for delivering proppant to the site of a well being fraced as recited in  claim 18  wherein at said site said modified cargo containers are emptied into said bulk sand container by said rough terrain container handler as needed. 
     
     
         20 . The method for delivering proppant to the site of a well being fraced as recited in  claim 19  wherein said proppant is sand and said source is a quarry. 
     
     
         21 . The method for delivering proppant to the site of a well being fraced as recited in  claim 19  wherein said source may be any point along a supply chain of said proppant.