Apparatus and method of preparing and delivering a fluid mixture using direct proppant injection

Abstract

An apparatus and method for preparing and delivering a fluid mixture. The apparatus including a high pressure differential solids feeder assembly and a pressurized mixing apparatus. The feeder assembly is coupled to a proppant storage vessel at ambient pressure and receives a continuous unpressurized proppant output flow from the proppant storage vessel. The feeder assembly is configured to output a continuous pressurized proppant output flow of sufficient mass to achieve continuous operation of the apparatus in an uninterrupted episode for an individual fracture stage. The pressurized mixing apparatus is coupled to the feeder assembly and in fluidic communication with the continuous pressurized proppant output flow and a continuous pressurized fracturing fluid flow. The pressurized mixing apparatus is configured to output a continuous flow of a pressurized fluid mixture of a sufficient volume and mass to achieve continuous operation of the apparatus in an uninterrupted episode for the individual fracture stage.

1 . An apparatus for preparing and delivering a fluid mixture comprising:
 a high pressure differential solids feeder assembly coupled to a proppant storage vessel at an ambient pressure, the high pressure differential solids feeder assembly including a proppant inlet in fluidic communication with a proppant flow at the ambient pressure, the high pressure differential solids feeder assembly configured to output a continuous pressurized proppant output flow of a sufficient mass to achieve continuous operation of the apparatus in an uninterrupted episode for an individual fracture stage, wherein the continuous pressurized proppant output flow is output at a mixing pressure, wherein the mixing pressure is greater than the ambient pressure; and   a pressurized mixing apparatus coupled to the high pressure differential solids feeder assembly, the pressurized mixing apparatus including at least one inlet in fluidic communication with the continuous pressurized proppant output flow and a continuous pressurized fracturing fluid flow, the pressurized mixing apparatus configured to mix the continuous pressurized proppant output flow and the continuous pressurized fracturing fluid flow therein and output a continuous flow of a pressurized fluid mixture of proppant and fracturing fluid of a sufficient volume and mass to achieve continuous operation of the apparatus in an uninterrupted episode for the individual fracture stage, wherein the continuous flow of the pressurized fluid mixture of proppant and fracturing fluid is output at or above the mixing pressure.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a pump assembly coupled to the pressurized mixing chamber and configured to deliver the continuous flow of the pressurized fluid mixture of proppant and fracturing fluid to a downstream component at an injection pressure, wherein the injection pressure is greater than the mixing pressure.   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the high pressure differential solids feeder assembly is a rotary displacement pump assembly with a consolidation section, a rotation section and a discharge section. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the high pressure differential solids feeder assembly is an eductor pump assembly. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the high pressure differential solids feeder assembly is a rotary positive displacement pump assembly. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the mixing pressure is in a range of 200-400 psi. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the mixing pressure is approximately 300 psi. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the injection pressure is in a range of 5000-12,000 psi or higher. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the injection pressure is approximately 10,000 psi. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the proppant material is one of sand, ceramic proppant, or a mixture thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the fracturing fluid is one of liquid CO 2 , liquid propane or a mixture thereof. 
     
     
         12 . An apparatus for preparing and delivering a fluid mixture comprising:
 a proppant storage vessel configured to contain therein a proppant material and output a proppant output flow at ambient pressure;   a high pressure differential solids feeder assembly coupled to the proppant storage vessel, the high pressure differential solids feeder assembly including a proppant inlet in fluidic communication with the proppant output flow, the high pressure differential solids feeder assembly configured to output a continuous pressurized proppant output flow of a sufficient mass to achieve continuous operation of the apparatus in an uninterrupted episode for an individual fracture stage, wherein the continuous pressurized proppant output flow is output at a mixing pressure, wherein the mixing pressure is greater than the ambient pressure;   a fracturing fluid storage vessel configured to contain therein a fracturing fluid and output a continuous pressurized fracturing fluid output flow at a mixing pressure, wherein the fracture mixing pressure is greater than the ambient pressure;   a pressurized mixing apparatus coupled to the high pressure differential solids feeder assembly, the pressurized mixing apparatus including at least one inlet in fluidic communication with the continuous pressurized proppant output flow and the continuous pressurized fracturing fluid flow, the pressurized mixing apparatus configured to mix the continuous pressurized proppant output flow and the continuous pressurized fracturing fluid flow therein and output a continuous flow of a pressurized fluid mixture of proppant and fracturing fluid of a sufficient volume and mass to achieve continuous operation of the apparatus in an uninterrupted episode for the individual fracture stage, wherein the continuous flow of the pressurized fluid mixture of proppant and fracturing fluid is output at or above the mixing pressure; and   a pump assembly coupled to the pressurized mixing chamber and configured to deliver the pressurized fluid mixture therein to a downstream component at an injection pressure, wherein the injection pressure is greater than the mixing pressure.   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the mixing pressure is in a range of 200-400 psi. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the mixing pressure is approximately 300 psi. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the injection pressure is in a range of 5000-12,000 psi. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the proppant material is one of sand, ceramic proppant, or a mixture thereof, and the fracturing fluid is one of liquid CO 2 , liquid propane or a mixture thereof. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the high pressure differential solids feeder assembly is coupled to the proppant storage vessel, the high pressure differential solids feeder assembly comprising:
 a consolidation section configured to cause the proppant material to compact and act as a solid mass;   a rotating section configured to increase the pressure of the proppant material therein; and   a discharge section configured to discharge the proppant material at the increased mixing pressure.   
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the high pressure differential solids feeder assembly is an eductor pump assembly coupled to the proppant storage vessel and the fracturing fluid storage vessel, the eductor pump assembly comprising:
 a suction chamber in fluidic communication with the proppant output flow, the fracture fluid output flow and a motive fluid flow, the suction chamber configured to output a fluid mixture to a mixing chamber; and   an expansion feature coupled to the mixing chamber and configured to expand the fluid mixture therein for delivery to a downstream component.   
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the high pressure differential solids feeder assembly is rotary positive displacement pump assembly coupled to the proppant storage vessel, the rotary positive displacement pump assembly comprising:
 a pump body, including a feed inlet at a first end and a discharge point at a second end; and   a feed mechanism disposed within the pump body and configured to move the proppant material from the feed inlet to the discharge point while increasing a pressure of the proppant material from an ambient pressure to the mixing pressure.   
     
     
         20 . A method of preparing and delivering a fluid mixture, comprising:
 providing a continuous proppant output flow at ambient pressure into a high pressure differential solids feeder assembly configured to output a continuous pressurized proppant output flow of a sufficient mass to achieve continuous operation of an apparatus in an uninterrupted episode for an individual fracture stage, wherein the continuous pressurized proppant output flow is output at a mixing pressure, wherein the mixing pressure is greater than the ambient pressure;   inputting the continuous pressurized proppant output flow and a continuous pressurized fracture fluid output flow at the mixing pressure and of a sufficient volume to achieve continuous operation of the apparatus in an uninterrupted episode for an individual fracture stage, into a pressurized mixing apparatus; and   mixing the continuous pressurized proppant output flow and the continuous pressurized fracturing fluid output flow therein the pressurized mixing apparatus and outputting a continuous pressurized flow of a fluid mixture of proppant and fracturing fluid of a sufficient volume and mass to achieve continuous operation of the apparatus in an uninterrupted episode for the individual fracture stage, wherein the continuous flow of the pressurized fluid mixture of proppant and fracturing fluid is output at or above the mixing pressure.   
     
     
         21 . The method of delivering a fluid mixture of  claim 20 , further comprising:
 providing an input of a proppant material at ambient pressure to a proppant storage vessel, the proppant storage vessel configured to output the continuous proppant output flow at ambient pressure; and   providing an input of a fracture fluid at a mixing pressure to a fracture fluid storage vessel, the fracture fluid storage vessel configured to output the continuous pressurized fracture fluid output flow at the mixing pressure.   
     
     
         22 . The method of delivering a fluid mixture of  claim 20 , further comprising:
 increasing the pressure of the continuous flow of the pressurized fluid mixture of proppant and fracturing fluid in a pump to output a continuous pressurized flow of an increased pressure fluid mixture; and   delivering the continuous pressurized flow of an increased pressure fluid mixture to one or more downstream components.