Fluid injection systems, apparatus, and methods including flexible hoses for wellhead sites

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12428944-B2
Application number	US-202318481841-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 5, 2023
Priority date	Jul 17, 2020
Publication date	Sep 30, 2025
Grant date	Sep 30, 2025

Abstract

Aspects of the disclosure relate to fluid injection systems, apparatus, methods, and associated components thereof that include flexible hoses for wellhead sites. In one implementation, a fluid injection system for wellhead sites includes a platform, a pump manifold mounted to the platform, and a pair of rails mounted to the platform. The fluid injection system includes a trolley disposed between the pair of rails and above the pump manifold. The trolley is movable along the pair of rails. The fluid injection system includes an articulation arm device mounted to the trolley. The articulation arm device includes one or more pivot joints coupled between two or more arms, and a connection device coupled to an end arm of the two or more arms.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A fluid injection system for wellhead sites, comprising:
a pump manifold; and
a lift system coupled to the pump manifold, the lift system comprising:
a base coupled to the pump manifold, wherein the base comprises a base plate and a plurality of legs that couple the base plate to the pump manifold;
a base receptacle coupled to a mount plate, wherein the mount plate is coupled to the base plate, and wherein the mount plate is rotatable relative to the base plate to rotate the base receptacle;
a column coupled to the base receptacle, wherein the column is rotatable relative to the base,
a rail coupled to the column, and
a trolley movable along the rail.

2. The fluid injection system of claim 1 , wherein the column is coupled to the base receptacle such that the column is rotatable relative to the base via the base receptacle and the mount plate.

3. The fluid injection system of claim 2 , wherein the column is inserted into the base receptacle.

4. The fluid injection system of claim 2 , wherein the column is removable from the base receptacle.

5. The fluid injection system of claim 2 , wherein the base receptacle is a female receptacle, and a bottom section of the column is a male insert that is received in the female receptacle.

6. The fluid injection system of claim 2 , wherein the lift system further comprises a hoist line coupled to the trolley, and a connection device coupled to the hoist line, wherein the connection device is configured to grab, lift, and/or move a flexible hose into or out of engagement with the pump manifold or a pump.

7. The fluid injection system of claim 2 , wherein the pump manifold comprises a plurality of manifold blocks coupled together.

8. A method of deploying the fluid injection system of claim 1 , comprising:
gripping a first end of a flexible hose using a connection device suspended from the trolley of the lift system that is coupled to the pump manifold;
actuating the lift system to move the first end of the flexible hose toward a first frac pump; and
coupling the first end of the flexible hose to the first frac pump.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
disconnecting the connection device from the first end of the flexible hose;
gripping a first end of a second flexible hose using the connection device;
actuating the lift system to move the first end of the second flexible hose toward a second frac pump; and
coupling the first end of the second flexible hose to the second frac pump.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
disconnecting the connection device from the first end of the second flexible hose; and
pumping a frac fluid through the flexible hose and the second flexible hose and into the pump manifold.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein a second end of the flexible hose is coupled to a first angled joint of the pump manifold while gripping the first end of the flexible hose with the connection device, and wherein a second end of the second flexible hose is coupled to a second angled joint of the pump manifold while gripping the first end of the second flexible hose with the connection device.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the second end of the flexible hose is supported on a support structure of the pump manifold while gripping the first end of the flexible hose using the lift system.

13. The method of claim 8 , further comprising removing the column of the lift system from the base receptacle that is rotatably coupled to the base of the lift system, and transporting the pump manifold and the lift system without the column.

14. A fluid injection system for wellhead sites, comprising:
a platform;
a pump manifold coupled to the platform;
a pair of rails coupled to the platform;
a trolley disposed between the pair of rails and above the pump manifold, wherein the trolley is movable along the pair of rails; and
a flexible hose lifting device coupled to the trolley and comprising:
a connection device configured to grab, lift, and/or move a flexible hose relative to the pump manifold;
a base coupled to the trolley; and
at least one pivot joint and at least one arm coupled to the base, wherein the connection device is coupled to an end of the at least one arm.

15. A fluid injection system for wellhead sites, comprising:
a platform;
a pump manifold coupled to the platform;
a pair of rails coupled to the platform;
a trolley disposed between the pair of rails and above the pump manifold, wherein the trolley is movable along the pair of rails; and
a flexible hose lifting device coupled to the trolley and comprising:
a connection device configured to grab, lift, and/or move a flexible hose relative to the pump manifold, wherein the trolley is movable horizontally along the pair of rails to move the flexible hose lifting device past a plurality of trailers of a plurality of pumps located adjacent to the pump manifold.

16. A fluid injection system for wellhead sites, comprising:
a platform;
a pump manifold coupled to the platform;
a pair of rails coupled to the platform;
a trolley disposed between the pair of rails and above the pump manifold, wherein the trolley is movable along the pair of rails; and
a flexible hose lifting device coupled to the trolley and comprising:
a connection device configured to grab, lift, and/or move a flexible hose relative to the pump manifold, wherein the connection device is configured to connect the flexible hose to an angled joint of the pump manifold.

Assignees

• Forum Us Inc

Inventors

• Post Steven
• Middleton Peter
• Hughes Harry
• Lamar William Perry

Classifications

• E21B43/26

  by forming crevices or fractures · CPC title

• F16L27/0861

  Arrangements of joints with one another and with pipes or hoses · CPC title

• F04D13/04

  the pump being fluid driven · CPC title

• B67D7/58

  Arrangements of pumps · CPC title

• B67D7/002

  using articulated pipes · CPC title