Fluid Distribution System for a Wellsite

Abstract

A fluid distribution system for a wellsite. The fluid distribution system may include a remote controller, a remote pump fluidly coupled to the first piece of wellsite equipment, and a remote fluid tank fluidly coupled to the remote pump. The first piece of wellsite equipment may include a local fluid tank comprising a fluid level sensor, a fill valve fluidly coupled to the local fluid tank, and a local controller configured to actuate the fill valve in response to a fluid level of the local fluid tank and to transmit at least one of a fill valve position or the fluid level of the local fluid tank to the remote controller. The remote controller may be configured to start and stop the remote pump in response to the transmissions from the local controllers.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A fluid distribution system for a wellsite, the fluid distribution system comprising:
 a remote controller located outside of an area of the wellsite;   a first piece of wellsite equipment located inside the area of the wellsite, the first piece of wellsite equipment comprising:
 a local fluid tank comprising a fluid level sensor, 
 a fill valve fluidly coupled to the local fluid tank, and 
 a local controller configured to actuate the fill valve in response to a fluid level of the local fluid tank and to transmit at least one of a fill valve position or the fluid level of the local fluid tank to the remote controller; 
   a remote pump fluidly coupled to the first piece of wellsite equipment and located outside of the area of the wellsite, wherein the remote controller is configured to start and stop the remote pump in response to the transmissions from the local controllers; and   a remote fluid tank fluidly coupled to the remote pump and located outside of the area of the wellsite.   
     
     
         2 . The fluid distribution system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the fluid level sensor is a low fluid level sensor;   the local fluid tank further comprises a high fluid level sensor; and   the local controller is configured to open the fill valve in response to a signal from the low fluid level sensor, to close the fill valve in response to a signal from the high fluid level sensor, and to transmit at least one of the position of the fill valve or the signal from the low fluid sensor and the signal from the high fluid sensor to the remote controller.   
     
     
         3 . The fluid distribution system of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid distribution system does not include a return connection from the first piece of wellsite equipment to the remote fluid tank. 
     
     
         4 . The fluid distribution system of  claim 1 , further comprising a second piece of wellsite equipment fluidly coupled to the first piece of wellsite equipment in series and located inside the area of the wellsite, the second piece of wellsite equipment comprising:
 a local fluid tank comprising a fluid level sensor;   a fill valve fluidly coupled to the local fluid tank; and   a local controller configured to actuate the fill valve in response to a fluid level of the local fluid tank and to transmit at least one of a fill valve position or the fluid level of the local fluid tank to the remote controller, wherein the remote controller is further configured to start and stop the remote pump in response to the transmissions from the local controller of the first piece of wellsite equipment and the transmissions from the local controller of the second piece of wellsite equipment.   
     
     
         5 . The fluid distribution system of  claim 4 , further comprising a pressure sensor configured to transmit a pressure to the remote controller, wherein the remote controller is configured to start and stop the remote pump in response to at least one of the transmissions from the local controllers and the transmission from the pressure sensor. 
     
     
         6 . The fluid distribution system of  claim 4 , wherein the remote controller, the local controller of the first piece of wellsite equipment, and the local controller of the second piece of wellsite equipment are configured to establish a hierarchy that prioritizes the first piece of wellsite equipment and the second piece of wellsite equipment. 
     
     
         7 . A fluid distribution system for a wellsite, the fluid distribution system comprising:
 a first piece of wellsite equipment located in an area of the wellsite, the first piece of wellsite equipment comprising a local fluid tank comprising a fluid level sensor, and a fill valve fluidly coupled to the local fluid tank;   a remote pump fluidly coupled to the first piece of wellsite equipment and located outside of the area of the wellsite;   a remote fluid tank fluidly coupled to the remote pump and located outside of the area of the wellsite; and   a remote controller located outside of the area, the remote controller configured to actuate the fill valve in response to a fluid level of the local fluid tank and to start and stop the remote pump in response to at least one of a fill valve position or the fluid level of the local fluid tank.   
     
     
         8 . The fluid distribution system of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the fluid level sensor is a low fluid level sensor;   the local fluid tank further comprises a high fluid level sensor; and   the remote controller is configured to open the fill valve in response to a signal from the low fluid level sensor, to close the fill valve in response to a signal from the high fluid level sensor, and to start and stop the remote pump in response to at least one of the position of the fill valve or the signal from the low fluid sensor and the signal from the high fluid sensor.   
     
     
         9 . The fluid distribution system of  claim 7 , wherein the fluid distribution system does not include a return connection from the first piece of wellsite equipment to the remote fluid tank. 
     
     
         10 . The fluid distribution system of  claim 7 , further comprising a second piece of wellsite equipment fluidly coupled to the first piece of wellsite equipment in series and located inside the area of the wellsite, the second piece of wellsite equipment comprising a local fluid tank comprising a fluid level sensor and a fill valve fluidly coupled to the local fluid tank, wherein the remote controller is further configured to actuate the fill valve of the second piece of wellsite equipment in response to a fluid level of the local fluid tank of the second piece of wellsite equipment and to start and stop the remote pump in response to at least one of the positions of the fill valves of the first piece of wellsite equipment and the second piece of wellsite equipment or the fluid levels of the first piece of wellsite equipment and the second piece of wellsite equipment. 
     
     
         11 . The fluid distribution system of  claim 10 , further comprising a pressure sensor configured to transmit a pressure to the remote controller, wherein the remote controller is configured to start and stop the remote pump in response to at least one of a fill valve position, the fluid level of the local fluid tank, or the transmission from the pressure sensor. 
     
     
         12 . The fluid distribution system of  claim 10 , wherein the remote controller is configured to establish a hierarchy that prioritizes the first piece of wellsite equipment and the second piece of wellsite equipment. 
     
     
         13 . A method of distributing fluid to wellsite equipment, the method comprising:
 monitoring a fluid level of a local fluid tank of a first piece of wellsite equipment located inside an area of a wellsite;   opening a fill valve of the first piece of wellsite equipment when the fluid level of the local fluid tank of the first piece of wellsite equipment drops below a first predetermined level;   starting a remote pump located outside the area of the wellsite in response to either the fill valve of the first piece of wellsite equipment opening, the fluid level of the local fluid tank of the first piece of wellsite equipment dropping below the first predetermined level, or a pressure in a manifold downstream of the remote pump dropping below a first predetermined value, wherein the remote pump supplies the local fluid tank of the first piece of wellsite equipment with fluid from a remote tank located outside the area of the wellsite;   closing the fill valve of the first piece of wellsite equipment when the local fluid tank of the first piece of wellsite equipment reaches a second predetermined level; and   stopping the remote pump in response to either the fill valve of the first piece of wellsite equipment closing, the fluid level of the local fluid tank of the first piece of wellsite equipment reaching the second predetermined level, or the pressure reaching a second predetermined value.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the method further comprises:
 monitoring a fluid level of a local fluid tank of a second piece of wellsite equipment fluidly coupled to the first piece of wellsite equipment in series and located inside the area of the wellsite;   opening a fill valve of the second piece of wellsite equipment when the fluid level of the local fluid tank of the second piece of wellsite equipment drops below the first predetermined level;   closing the fill valve of the second piece of wellsite equipment when the local fluid tank of the second piece of wellsite equipment reaches the second predetermined level;   wherein starting the remote pump comprises starting the remote pump in response to either any fill valve opening, any fluid level of the local fluid tanks dropping below the first predetermined level, or the pressure dropping below the first predetermined value, wherein the remote pump supplies at least one of the local fluid tank of the first piece of wellsite equipment or the local fluid tank of the second piece of wellsite equipment with fluid from the remote tank; and   wherein stopping the remote pump comprises stopping the remote pump in response to either all fill valves closing, all fluid levels of the local fluid tanks reaching the second predetermined level, or the pressure reaching the second predetermined value.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the first piece of wellsite equipment and the second piece of wellsite equipment are fluidly coupled in series. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising establishing a hierarchy that prioritizes the first piece of wellsite equipment and the second piece of wellsite equipment. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising closing or partially closing the fill valve of the low priority piece of wellsite equipment if the fill valve of the high priority piece of wellsite equipment opens. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising delaying the opening of or partially opening the fill valve of the low priority piece of wellsite equipment if the fill valve of the high priority piece of wellsite equipment is already open. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the method further comprises:
 monitoring a fluid level of a local fluid tank of a third piece of wellsite equipment fluidly coupled to the second piece of wellsite equipment and located inside the area of the wellsite;   opening a fill valve of the third piece of wellsite equipment when the fluid level of the local fluid tank of the third piece of wellsite equipment drops below the first predetermined level;   closing the fill valve of the third piece of wellsite equipment when the local fluid tank of the third piece of wellsite equipment reaches the second predetermined level;   establishing a hierarchy that prioritizes the first piece of wellsite equipment, the second piece of wellsite equipment, and the third piece of wellsite equipment;   increasing an output rate of the remote pump if the fill valves of the two higher priority pieces of wellsite equipment are open; and   wherein the remote pump supplies at least one of the local fluid tank of the first piece of wellsite equipment, the local fluid tank of the second piece of wellsite equipment, or the local fluid tank of the third piece of wellsite equipment with fluid from the remote tank.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the first piece of wellsite equipment, the second piece of wellsite equipment, and the third piece of wellsite equipment are fluidly coupled in series.