Fracture Water Treatment Method and System

Abstract

A method and system for treatment of flow-back and produced water from a hydrocarbon well in which fracturing operations are carried out using a phase separation and creating of positive charge in the water.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of treating hydrocarbon well fracture water from a hydrocarbon well, said method comprising:
 separating solids from fracture water, wherein a flow of water with suspended solids results;   separating the flow of water into a plurality of flows of water;   generating positive charge in the plurality of flows of water, wherein a plurality of flows of positively-charged water results;   comingling the plurality of flows of positively-charged water after said generating.   
     
     
         2 . A method as in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 monitoring an oil/water interface level and   controlling the oil/water interface level in the separator.   
     
     
         3 . A method as in  claim 1 , further comprising slowing the flow rate in the plurality of flows of water to be less than the flow rate of the flow of water with suspended solids. 
     
     
         4 . A method as in  claim 1 , wherein said generating positive charge in the flows of water comprises treating each of the plurality of flows of water with electromagnetic flux. 
     
     
         5 . A method as in  claim 1 , wherein the majority of the suspended solids are less than about 100 microns. 
     
     
         6 . A method as in  claim 5 , wherein substantially all the suspended solids are less than about 100 microns. 
     
     
         7 . A method as in  claim 5 , wherein the majority of the suspended solids are less than about 10 microns. 
     
     
         8 . A method as in  claim 1 , wherein said separating comprises two-stage separating. 
     
     
         9 . A method as in  claim 8 , wherein said two-stage separating comprises:
 passing the fracture water through a three-phase separator, wherein a water output from the three-phase separator results, and   passing the water output from the three-phase separator through a two-phase separator.   
     
     
         10 . A system for treating hydrocarbon well fracture water from a hydrocarbon well, a system comprising:
 means for separating solids from fracture water, wherein a flow of water with suspended solids results;   means for separating the flow of water into a plurality of flows of water;   means for generating positive charge in the plurality of flows of water, wherein a plurality of flows of positively-charged water results; and   means for comingling plurality of flows of positively-charged water.   
     
     
         11 . A system as in  claim 10 , wherein said means for separating comprises a three-phase, four material separator. 
     
     
         12 . A system as in  claim 11 , wherein said means for separating further comprises a second two phase separator, the two-phase separator comprising an input for receiving water flow from the three-phase gas oil separator, and an output for the flow of water with suspended solids. 
     
     
         13 . A system as in  claim 11 , further comprising:
 means for monitoring an oil/water interface level; and   means for controlling the oil/water interface level in the first and second separator.   
     
     
         14 . A system as in  claim 10 , wherein the means for separating the flow of water into a plurality of flows of water comprises a manifold having an input port to receive the flow of water with suspended solids and a plurality of output ports, each of which has a cross-sectional area that is smaller than the cross-sectional area of the input of the manifold; and
 wherein the sum of the cross-sectional areas of the output ports is greater than the cross-sectional area of the input ports, whereby the flow rate exiting the manifold is less than the flow rate entering the manifold.   
     
     
         15 . A system as in  claim 10 , wherein the means for separating the flow of water into a plurality of flows of water comprises a water truck having a plurality of compartments, each compartment being positioned to receive a portion of the flow of water. 
     
     
         16 . A system as in  claim 10 , wherein said means for generating positive charge comprises means for treating each of the plurality of flows of water with electromagnetic flux. 
     
     
         17 . A system as in  claim 16 , wherein the means for treating each of the plurality of flows of water with electromagnetic flux comprises:
 a pipe; and   at least one electrical coil having an axis substantially coaxial with the pipe.   
     
     
         18 . A system as in  claim 10 , wherein said means for co-mingling comprises a manifold having input ports for a plurality of flows of positively-charged water and an output port. 
     
     
         19 . A system as in  claim 18 , wherein said means for co-mingling further comprises a well fracturing water and proppant blender. 
     
     
         20 . A system as in  claim 10 , wherein the majority of the suspended solids are less than about 100 microns. 
     
     
         21 . A system as in  claim 20 , wherein substantially all the suspended solids are less than about 100 microns. 
     
     
         22 . A system as in  claim 21 , wherein the majority of the suspended solids are less than about 10 microns. 
     
     
         23 . A system as in  claim 10 , wherein said means for separating comprises a two-stage separator. 
     
     
         24 . A system as in  claim 23 , wherein said two-stage separator comprises:
 a three-phase separator having a water output coupled to an input of a two-phase separator.   
     
     
         25 . A system for treatment of hydrocarbon well fracture water, the system comprising:
 a multi-phase separator;   a manifold having an input port connected to an output of the multiphase separator and having multiple output ports;   a plurality of pipes, each having coils wound on the pipe, wherein each pipe has an input end connected to an output port of the manifold and each pipe has an output end;   a co-mingling manifold having input ports connected to the output ends of the plurality of pipes.   
     
     
         26 . A system as in  claim 25 , further comprising a proppant-water blender connected to an output of the co-mingling manifold. 
     
     
         27 . A system as in  claim 25 , wherein the multi-phase separator comprises a multi-stage separator. 
     
     
         28 . A system as in  claim 27 , wherein the multi-stage separator comprises a two-stage separator, wherein:
 a first stage of the two-stage separator comprises a three-phase separator and   a second stage of the two-stage separator comprises a two-phase separator.   
     
     
         29 . A system as in  claim 28 , wherein the three-phase separator comprises a four-material separator. 
     
     
         30 . A system as in  claim 29 , wherein the four-material separator comprises an oil-water interface control system.