Proppant storage vessel and assembly thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016304273-A1
Application number	US-201615191578-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 24, 2016
Priority date	Dec 21, 2011
Publication date	Oct 20, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A proppant storage vessel has a container having a first end wall, a second end wall, a first side wall, a second side wall, a top wall and a bottom wall. The first and second end walls extend between opposite ends of the first and second side walls. The walls define an interior volume of the container. The walls have a rigidity suitable for retaining no less than 30,000 pounds of proppant therein. A top hatch is formed centrally on the top wall and is movable between an open position and a closed position. A bottom hatch is formed generally centrally on the bottom wall of the container and is movable between an open position and a closed position.

First claim

We claim:

1 . A container structurally strengthened to transport and store large volumes of proppant effectively therein to supply to a fracturing site, the container comprising:
a top; a bottom having an outlet formed therein; a plurality of sidewalls coupled to and extending between the top and bottom, so as to define an interior volume within the container thereby to store the proppant therein; a plurality of sidewall supports positioned to provide structural support to the sidewalls when large volumes of proppant are positioned within the interior volume of the container, the proppant comprising sand having a substantially spherical shape and a tightly graded particle distribution, the plurality of sidewall supports including a plurality of support braces extending in a substantially horizontal position and positioned in direct contact with interior surfaces of the sidewalls to enhance support of the sidewalls when the container is filled with the proppant, the plurality of support braces includes a first set of support braces attached to a first pair of sidewalls and a second set of support braces attached to a second pair of sidewalls, the first set of support braces extending in a plane direction transverse to a plane direction of the second set of support braces; ramps downwardly inclined and extending inwardly from the sidewalls to direct the proppant toward the outlet when the proppant is stored therein, at least one support brace of the plurality of support braces being positioned vertically higher than the ramps; and a hatch positioned proximate the outlet, the hatch being moveable between open and closed positions.

2 . The container of claim 1 , wherein the container comprises a first container, and wherein the outlet is adapted to be positioned adjacent a second container having a second top with an opening formed therein, the first container being adapted to discharge the proppant from the outlet and into a second interior volume of the second container, and wherein the proppant further comprises sand.

3 . The container of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of support members attached to a bottom surface of the ramps and extending downwardly toward the bottom.

4 . The container of claim 3 , further comprising a container frame structurally arranged to support another container when filled with large volumes of proppant and when positioned in a vertically stacked arrangement thereabove, and the large volumes are at least 30,000 pounds.

5 . The container of claim 3 , wherein the plurality of support members is arranged at respective angles relative to the bottom and the support members are attached to the bottom.

6 . The container of claim 3 , wherein at least one support member of the plurality of support members is positioned vertically lower than the plurality of support braces.

7 . A system structurally strengthened to transport and store large volumes of proppant effectively therein, the system comprising:
a first container comprising:
a first top,
a first bottom, having a first outlet formed therein to allow large volumes of proppant to flow therefrom when the outlet is in an open position, the proppant comprising sand, the large volumes comprising at least 30,000 pounds of the sand,
a first plurality of sidewalls coupled to the first top and first bottom, so as to define a first interior volume of the first container thereby to store the proppant therein,
a first plurality of structural supports positioned to provide structural support to the first plurality of sidewalls when large volumes of proppant are positioned within the first interior volume, the proppant having a substantially spherical shape and a tightly graded particle distribution, and
a first plurality of ramps downwardly inclined and extending inwardly from the first plurality of sidewalls to direct the proppant toward the first outlet when the proppant is stored therein;
a second container positioned below the first container, the second container comprising:
a second top, having an opening formed therein,
a second bottom, having a second outlet formed therein to allow large volumes of proppant to flow therefrom when in an open position, the proppant comprising sand, the large volumes comprising at least 30,000 pounds of the sand,
a second plurality of sidewalls coupled to the second top and second bottom, so as to define a second interior volume of the second container thereby to store the proppant therein,
a second plurality of structural supports positioned to provide structural support to the second plurality of sidewalls when large volumes of proppant are positioned within the second interior volume, the proppant having a substantially spherical shape and a tightly graded particle distribution;
a second plurality of ramps downwardly inclined and extending inwardly from the second plurality of sidewalls to direct the proppant toward the second outlet when the proppant is stored therein, the first container and the second container being vertically aligned in a stacked orientation; and one or more spacers positioned between the first container and the second container, the spacers contacting the second top and the first bottom and arranging the first and second containers in a spaced relationship.

8 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the first container further comprises a first hatch movable toward the second container to transition the first hatch to the open position to allow proppant to flow from the first outlet, wherein the second container further comprises a second hatch movable toward the first container to transition the second hatch to an open position, and a distance between the first and second containers is great enough to allow the first hatch and the second hatch to be in respective open positions at the same time.

9 . The system of claim 7 , further comprising a conveyor positioned below the second outlet such that proppant exiting the second container through the second outlet is deposited on the conveyor and transported away from the second container.

10 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the first plurality of structural supports comprises a first plurality of support braces, the first plurality of support braces comprises a first set of support braces attached to a first pair of sidewalls and a second set of support braces attached to a second pair of sidewalls, the first set of support braces extending in a plane direction transverse to the second set of support braces.

11 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the first container further comprises a plurality of support members attached to respective bottom surfaces of the first plurality of ramps, the plurality of support members extending downwardly toward the bottom to support the ramps, and the plurality of support members extend in a substantially horizontal position.

12 . The system of claim 7 , wherein each of the first and second containers includes a container frame structurally arranged to support another container when filled with large volumes of proppant and positioned in a vertically stacked arrangement thereabove such that each of the first and second containers is structurally adapted to support the other container when the proppant is positioned therein.

13 . A method for delivering large volumes of proppant to a fracturing site, the method comprising:
positioning a first container to structurally support large volumes of proppant and being filled with large volumes of proppant near a fracturing site, the proppant comprising sand, the first container having a first opening in a first top with a first hatch moveable between a first open position a

Assignees

• Oren Tech Llc

Inventors

• Oren John

Classifications

• B65D88/542

  Ramps forming part of the container (ramps per se B65G69/28; for ambulances A61G3/061; for vehicles in general B60P1/43) · CPC title

• B65D88/022 Primary

  in multiple arrangement, e.g. stackable, nestable, connected or joined together side-by-side · CPC title

• B65D90/14

  Legs, e.g. detachable · CPC title

• B65G65/40

  Devices for emptying otherwise than from the top · CPC title

• B65D90/10

  Manholes; Inspection openings; Covers therefor · CPC title