Method of delivering fracturing fluid and additives by formulating an aqueous based fluid for optimal fracturing fluid characteristics

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9732602-B1
Application number	US-201514847925-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Sep 8, 2015
Priority date	Sep 9, 2008
Publication date	Aug 15, 2017
Grant date	Aug 15, 2017

Abstract

A method for the controlled delivery of a fracturing fluid to a well bore comprises formulating an aqueous base fluid such that it meets or exhibits desired physical and chemical characteristics for an optimal fracturing fluid. The formulation of the aqueous base fluid max involve commingling one or more sources of waste water with a source of fresh water followed by controlled injection of one or more additives. This process is substantially completed prior to delivering the aqueous base fluid to the well site. This allows the delivery of an optimal volume of the aqueous base fluid with homogeneously blended additives to the well bore.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for controlled delivery of a fracturing fluid to a well bore comprising:
(a) identifying a plurality of sources of an aqueous base fluid for the fracturing fluid and providing predetermined characteristic data for the fracturing fluid;
(b) testing the identified plurality of sources of aqueous base fluid to determine each source's characteristics;
(c) comparing the tested physical and chemical characteristic data of each source of aqueous base fluid identified in step “a” to the predetermined characteristic data for the fracturing fluid to identify suitability of each identified source for fracturing operations;
(d) after step “c”, if a favorable comparison is made to the predetermined characteristic data for the fracturing fluid, transporting aqueous base fluid, obtained from their respective source identified in step “a” to a well site for fracturing operations at least one of the sources that compared favorably in step “c” to the predetermined characteristic data for the fracturing fluid;
(e) during step “d” testing the aqueous base fluid being transported, and comparing the characteristic data to the predetermined characteristic data for the fracturing fluid;
(f) during steps “d” and “e”, in the event of a failed comparison, introducing at least one additive to treat the aqueous base fluid being transported;
(g) repeating steps “e” and “f” until the aqueous base fluid being transported achieves the predetermined characteristics; and
(h) after step “g”, transporting the treated aqueous base fluid to a fracturing system, the fracturing system including a fracturing pump; and
(i) after step “h”, formulating the fracturing fluid with the treated aqueous base fluid, and the pump of the fracturing system pumping the fracturing fluid into the wellbore for fracturing operations.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein testing in step “e” is performed downstream of the at least one additive introduced in step “f” and upstream of the fracturing system.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the at least one additive includes a bromine biocide, and further comprising the step of testing at least one sample of flowback fluids at the conclusion of the fracturing operations to identify residual traces of the bromine biocide.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein during step “h” the aqueous base fluid is delivered to the fracturing system located proximate to the well site.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein first during step “d” the aqueous base fluid is first delivered to a first set of fracturing fluid tanks located proximate to the source of aqueous base fluid, and second during step “h” delivered to the fracturing system located proximate to the well site.

6. A method for controlled delivery of a fracturing fluid to a well bore comprising:
(a) identifying a plurality of sources of an aqueous base fluid for the fracturing fluid and providing predetermined characteristic data for the fracturing fluid;
(b) testing the identified plurality of sources of aqueous base fluid to determine each source's characteristics;
(c) comparing the tested characteristic data of each source of aqueous base fluid identified in step “a” to the predetermined characteristic data for the fracturing fluid to identify suitability of each identified source for fracturing operations;
(d) after step “c”, if a favorable comparison is made to the predetermined characteristic data for the fracturing fluid, for a plurality of the sources that compared favorably in step “c” to the predetermined characteristic data for the fracturing fluid, commingling aqueous base fluid from the plurality of sources of aqueous base fluid, and transporting the commingled aqueous base fluid to a well site for fracturing operations;
(e) during step “d” testing the commingled aqueous base fluid being transported, and comparing the characteristic data to the predetermined data for the fracturing fluid;
(f) during steps “d” and “e”, in the event of a failed comparison, introducing at least one additive to treat the commingled aqueous base fluid being transported;
(g) repeating steps “e” and “f” until the commingled aqueous base fluid being transported achieves the predetermined characteristics; and
(h) after step “g”, transporting the treated commingled aqueous base fluid to a fracturing system, the fracturing system including a fracturing pump; and
(i) after step “h”, formulating the fracturing fluid with the treated commingled aqueous base fluid, and the pump of the fracturing system pumping the fracturing fluid into the wellbore for fracturing operations.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of identified sources of aqueous base fluid are include different types of sources of aqueous base fluid.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of identified sources of aqueous base fluid fall withing to one two or more of the following types of fresh water sources: lakes, rivers, ponds, creeks, streams and well water.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein testing in step “e” is performed downstream of the at least one additive introduced in step “f” and upstream of the fracturing system.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the at least one additive includes a bromine biocide, and further comprising the step of testing at least one sample of flowback fluids at the conclusion of the fracturing operations to identify residual traces of the bromine biocide.

11. The method of claim 6 , wherein during step “h” the commingled aqueous base fluid is delivered to the fracturing system located proximate to the well site.

12. The method of claim 6 , wherein first during step “f” the commingled aqueous base fluid is delivered to a first set of fracturing fluid tanks located proximate to the source of aqueous base fluid, and second during step “h” delivered to the fracturing system located proximate to the well site.

13. The method of claim 6 , wherein during step “f” a plurality of different additives are introduced and testing of the commingled aqueous base fluid being transported is made of each of the plurality of different additives introduced.

Assignees

• Tetra Tech

Inventors

• Termine Enrico J
• Richie Robert I

Classifications

• E21B43/16

  Enhanced recovery methods for obtaining hydrocarbons · CPC title

• C09K8/66

  Compositions based on water or polar solvents (C09K8/64 takes precedence) · CPC title

• Y10S507/922

  Fracture fluid · CPC title

• Y10S507/904

  Process of making fluids or additives therefor · CPC title

• E21B43/26 Primary

  by forming crevices or fractures · CPC title