Patent Application
20170257937
The present invention relates generally to the field of hydraulic fracturing of subterranean formations in the earth and, more particularly, to a system, method and apparatus for sintering ceramic proppant particles used in the process of hydraulic fracturing of wells.
The United States, as well as many other countries, has an abundant source of unconventional Oil and Gas resources located in shale formations. Hence, the term Shale Oil or Shale Gas. However, these tight shale formations require a unique completion method, referred to as hydraulically fracturing, to untrap the oil and/or gas and allow it to flow to the production tubing of the well. In order to keep the fractures open, the well must be propped open with a high strength material. This is similar to propping a door open with a wooden wedge or divider. However, in lieu of wooden wedge or dividers high strength material, such as frac sand and/or ceramic beads are pumped into the well and into the fissures formed from hydraulically fracturing the well. Proppants are used to “prop” open the oil or gas well during hydraulic fracturing of the well. Hence the term “proppant.”
Frac sand is traditionally used as the proppant for most hydraulically fractured wells. However, the crush strength and spherical shape of frac sand is far inferior to that of ceramic proppants. Many Oil and Gas operators have turned to ceramic proppants to improve the conductivity or flow of the well after it has been hydraulically fractured. Due to the inherit superior spherical shape of ceramic proppants over frac sand, conductivity (flow) of ceramic proppants allows for enhanced gas and/or oil flow within the well. This is crucial for maximizing flow from the well.
Carbo Ceramics, Inc. manufactures an extensive line of proppants that range from resin-coated sand to ceramic proppants. For example, US Patent Application Publication No. US 2012/20231981 A1, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety, describes various processes for manufacturing proppant particles.
The major issues associated with the manufacture of ceramic proppants are cost, production capacity and emissions. The traditional method for sintering ceramic proppants uses long rotary kilns fired with natural gas. First, the construction and installation of a new rotary kiln is expensive and requires a long lead-time (e.g., upwards of 18 to 24 months), so capacity expansion is difficult. Second, if the price of natural gas increases the production costs increase. On the other hand, when the price of natural gas decreases, operators tend to not drill gas wells and/or use frac sand. As a result, sales decrease for ceramic proppants. Third, many facilities utilizing rotary kilns must install expensive scrubbers to reduce air emissions. Other issues associated with long rotary kilns are size, footprint, plant location and regulatory permits. The combination of these problems causes long lead times and thus hampers a company's ability to increase production capacity to keep up with demand of high performance ceramic proppants as compared and contrasted to frac sand.
In addition, sintering time within a rotary kiln is exceptionally long in order to reach a typical sintering temperature of 2,800° F. to 3,000° F. Typical sintering times range from 30 minutes to over one hour. If temperature creeps beyond the sintering temperature, the lower melting point metals and/or minerals within the green proppant tend to melt and “plate” out within the kiln. Thus, the rotary kiln must be shutdown, cooled and repaired and of course adversely affects the plants production capacity.
Due to the abundance of natural gas and oil from shale plays, there exists a need for an alternative means for sintering proppants without using long rotary kilns.
The present invention provides an apparatus for sintering green pellets to make proppant particles. The apparatus includes: (a) a vessel having an overflow disposed in a first end, an underflow disposed in a second end, a middle portion having a circular cross-section disposed between the first end and the second end, and a tangential inlet proximate to the first end such that a gas from the tangential inlet flows along a vortex path from the first end to the second end of the vessel; (b) a first electrode extending through the overflow and a second electrode extending through the underflow, wherein both electrodes are at least partially disposed within the vessel, spaced apart from one another, and axially aligned with one another along a central axis of the vessel from the first end to the second end; and (c) one or more feed tubes extending through the overflow proximate to the first electrode. The electrodes are used to create an open electrical arc that sinters or partially sinters the green pellets from the one or more feed tubes in a selected temperature range to form the proppant particles as the green pellets pass between the electrical arc and the gas flowing in the vortex path and exit the underflow.
In addition, the present invention provides a method for sintering green pellets to make proppant particles. An apparatus is provided that includes: (a) a vessel having an overflow disposed in a first end, an underflow disposed in a second end, a middle portion having a circular cross-section disposed between the first end and the second end, and a tangential inlet proximate to the first end; (b) a first electrode extending through the overflow and a second electrode extending through the underflow, wherein both electrodes are at least partially disposed within the vessel, spaced apart from one another, and axially aligned with one another along a central axis of the vessel from the first end to the second end; and (c) one or more feed tubes extending through the overflow proximate to the first electrode. A gas is directed into the tangential inlet to flow in a vortex path from the first end to the second end of the vessel. An open electrical arc is created between the first electrode and the second electrode. The green pellets are dropped from the one or more feed tubes, such that the green pellets are sintered or partially sintered in a selected temperature range to form the proppant particles as the green pellets pass between the electrical arc and the gas flowing in the vortex path and exit the underflow.
The present invention is described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.
The above and further advantages of the invention may be better understood by referring to the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
While the making and using of various embodiments of the present invention are discussed in detail below, it should be appreciated that the present invention provides many applicable inventive concepts that can be embodied in a wide variety of specific contexts. The specific embodiments discussed herein are merely illustrative of specific ways to make and use the invention and do not delimit the scope of the invention. The discussion herein relates primarily to sintering green pellets to make proppant particles, but it will be understood that the concepts of the present invention are applicable to the manufacture or processing of particles at high temperatures.
The following patents are incorporated by reference in their entirety: U.S. Pat. No. 5,832,361; U.S. Pat. No. 7,422,695; U.S. Pat. No. 7,578,937; and U.S. Pat. No. 8,088,290. The systems, devices and methods disclosed in the foregoing patents can be adapted to sinter proppants as will be described below. The discussion herein focuses on
Now referring to
The apparatus 100 also includes a first electrode 124 extending through the overflow 108 and a second electrode 126 extending through the underflow 112, wherein both electrodes 124 and 126 are at least partially disposed within the vessel 106, spaced apart from one another, and axially aligned with one another along a central axis 128 of the vessel 116 from the first end 110 to the second end 114. The first electrode 124 and the second electrode 126 are used to create an electrical arc that produces a wave energy. The wave energy may include ultraviolet light, infrared light, visible light, sonic waves, supersonic waves, ultrasonic waves, electrons, cavitations or any combination thereof. The first electrode 124 and the second electrode 126 can be made of carbon or other suitable material. In addition, the first electrode 124 and the second electrode 126 can be made of a material that coats or chemically reacts with the green pellets 102. A linear actuator or other device can be used to move the first electrode 124 to and from the second electrode 126 in order to strike the electrical arc as shown by arrows 134a. The second electrode 126 can also be moved using a linear actuator or other device as shown by arrows 134b. A DC power source 130 is connected to the first electrode 124 and the second electrode 126. In some embodiments, the DC power source 130 can be one or more batteries or one or more solar powered batteries.
In addition, the apparatus 100 includes one or more feed tubes 132 extending through the overflow 108 proximate to the first electrode 124. As shown in
Preferably, the gas 120 is nitrogen because nitrogen is commonly used as a plasma gas. But, the gas 120 can be any other gas or combination of gases suitable to achieve the desired proppant particles 104. In addition, the green pellets 102 are typically made from minerals that commonly include fluoride. When heated within a large rotary kiln fluorine as well as nitrogen trifluoride are formed which must be scrubbed prior to emitting exhaust into the atmosphere. Not being bound by theory, it is believed that if any halogen species, for example fluorine and chlorine reacts with the nitrogen it will be destroyed within the present invention due to UV light. U.S. Pat. No. 5,832,361 described an apparatus and method for destroying nitrogen trichloride (NCl3). Likewise, NF3 can be decomposed with UV light and heat. Hence, water and/or any scrubbing fluid can be flowed into inlet 11 while nitrogen is added with the scrubbing fluid and/or referring to
The electrodes 124 and 126 are used to create an open electrical arc that sinters or partially sinters the green pellets 102 from the one or more feed tubes 132 in a selected temperature range to form the proppant particles 104 as the green pellets 102 pass between the electrical arc and the gas 120 flowing in the vortex path 122 and exit the underflow 126.
In one embodiment, the selected temperature range is between about 1,200° C. and 3,700° C. The selected temperature range can be based on a chemical composition of the green pellets 102, a size of the green pellets 102, a resonance time of the green pellets 102 within the vessel, or a combination thereof. Note that other parameters may also be used to determine the selected temperature range. Note that continually feeding the electrodes 124 and/or 126 allows for continuous operation. It will be understood that any electrically conductive material may be used for the electrode, such as carbon, graphite or copper. The present invention can also use an electrode material that can be coated unto the proppants. For example, titanium is a lightweight electrically conductive metal that is available in rods, bars or tubes which can be fed continuously for coating the proppants with a high strength lightweight metal. On the other hand, tungsten is a heavy electrically conductive metal that may be used to coat proppants.
Green pellets 102 (not sintered proppants 104) are very soft and can easily be crushed, shredded and/or comminuted when placed within the vortex or whirling flow of a cyclone. On the other hand, the eye of the gas 120 flowing or whirling in the vortex path moves at a very low to near zero speed and is, therefore, an ideal feed point for delicate materials such as green pellets 102. This allows for rapid sintering of proppants 104 (i.e., seconds as opposed to 30 minutes or more). The one or more feed tubes 132 drop or feed the green pellets 102 into the eye of the gas 120 flowing or whirling in the vortex path. All or part of the gas may exit through the overflow 108. Note that the sintering process may involve a single pass through a single apparatus 100, or multiple passes through a single apparatus 100, or a single pass through multiple apparatuses 100 (
In another embodiment, the apparatus 100 may include a heated gas source connected to the one or more feed tubes 132 to pre-heat the green pellets 102. The heated gas source can be a high temperature blower, a high temperature compressor, an electrical heater or heated gas source, a burner, a thermal oxidizer, a jet exhaust, an oxy-fuel torch, a plasma torch, an internal combustion engine exhaust, or a combination thereof.
In another embodiment, the vessel 106 also includes a radio frequency source 138 (e.g., one or more radio frequency coils, a waveguide, or a combination thereof, etc.) attached to or disposed within the vessel 106. The microwave source and/or induction coils 138 can inductively couple to the plasma utilizing radio frequency in the range of 0.5 kHz to 300 MHz. The carbon arc may provide the excitation energy for either the microwaves or RF energy to couple to and form a global plasma within the eye. However, susceptors may be located within the vessel 106 in order to ignite the plasma and allow for coupling and sustaining the plasma. Likewise, the inductively coupled plasma is sustained within the eye.
The green pellets 102 drop down the vertical axis of the eye and through the inductively coupled plasma and are discharged through the bottom of the vessel 106. Plasma can couple to Radio Frequency Energy (e.g., inductively coupled (“IC”) plasma torches, etc.). The present inventor's Plasma Whirl® Reactor is an IC Plasma Torch. The Radio Frequency (“RF”) Spectrum ranges from about 3 kHz to 300 GHz. Induction heating commonly employs RF coils ranging in frequency from 0.5 kHz to 400 kHz. Likewise, microwave frequencies commonly found in household microwave ovens normally operate at 2,450 Mega Hertz (2.450 GigaHertz) and at a power of 300 watts to 1,000 watts. Commercial microwave ovens ranging in power from 6 kw to 100 kw typically operate at a frequency of 915 MHz (Mega Hertz).
As previously stated RF energy can couple to a gas and form plasma. Coupling efficiency is based upon several variables ranging from the gas type, gas flow rate, frequency, cavity and/or reactor shape and volume. The three major issues with plasma are igniting, sustaining and confining the plasma. Igniting and sustaining plasma with an electrical arc is fairly straightforward and simple. DC plasma torches utilize inertial confinement to maximize and transfer energy to the work piece. Likewise, plasma confinement is necessary to prevent melting of the torch itself. However, plasma ignition with RF energy is quite difficult. Consequently, many RF torches using an RF coil or a Microwave source typically employ a susceptor to ignite the plasma. The susceptor is simply a pointed metal rod that will absorb the RF energy, heat up and then emit an electron via thermionic emission. As a result, the spark ignites any gases present and forms the plasma. Note that using a DC plasma torch as the heater allows for increasing the bulk plasma volume by simply turning on the RF coil or Microwave generator and injecting wave energy in the form of photons emitted from the RF coil or the Microwave magnetron to enhance the plasma.
Referring now to
The feed gas 216 used for the gas slide 202 can be supplied in a variety of ways, such as a separate feed gas source 220, or a gas line 204 connecting the overflow 108 to the second inlet 214 of the gas slide 202 such that the feed gas 216 is at least a portion of the hot gas that exits the overflow 108. A valve or regulator attached to the gas line 204 can be used to control a pressure of the feed gas 216. Moreover, the feed gas 216 can be heated to preheat the green pellets 102 using a heater (not shown) or the gas-to-gas heat exchanger 206. As shown, the gas-to-gas heat exchanger 206 is connected to the feed gas source 220, the second inlet 214 of the gas slide 202 and the gas line 204 such that heat from the hot gas exiting the overflow 108 is transferred to the feed gas 216. Note that any gas may be used as the feed gas 216 and it is not necessary to use the hot gas exiting from the overflow 108.
The heater (not shown) may be selected but is not limited to a group that includes a high temperature blower or compressor, electrical heater or heated gas source, burner, thermal oxidizer, jet rocket, oxy-fuel torch, plasma torch and/or even the exhaust from an internal combustion engine such as a reciprocating engine or gas turbine engine. The utilization of engine exhaust allows for generating electricity while sintering proppants. Hence, a unique cogenerating system—generating electricity while producing proppants. In another example, the heater includes another electrode proximate to inlet 118. For example, the heater can be the DC Plasma ArcWhirl® Torch disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,074,439 and 8,278,810 and 7,622,693 and 8,324,523 which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. Likewise, an ideal heater or heated gas source may be the thermal oxidizer shown in FIG. 6 of U.S. Pat. No. 8,074,439 or the plasma rocket as disclosed in FIG. 7 of U.S. Pat. No. 8,074,439.
The gas line 204 can also be used to recirculate at least a portion of the gas 120 that exits the overflow 108 back into the tangential inlet 118 creating a closed loop or partially closed loop process. To enhance efficiency, a hot gas clean up device 208 and/or a gas compressor 210 can be attached to the gas line 204 and the tangential inlet 118. Other components can be added to the apparatus 200 as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the use of multiple small diameter vessels fed from a common header provides for a compact proppant manufacturing plant or system that is efficient and scalable. Likewise, this configuration enables the plant to increase production capacity via small increments and not through the purchase of one long rotary kiln or one large plasma process. The present invention allows the proppants to be manufactured in a multi-stage sintering process wherein addition materials can be added to, coated or reacted with the proppants to produce new and improved characteristics. Moreover, the ability to use off-the-shelf and/or modified high temperature and high pressure cyclones sourced from the oil and gas industry as a component for a plasma proppant manufacturing system allows for a relatively compact, modular and inexpensive plant that could be built in a timely fashion. Finally, the present invention provides a system that can be mounted on a skid, trailer, truck, rail car, barge or ship and operated at or near the drilling operation, which greatly reduces the cost of the proppants by saving expensive storage and transportation costs.
Now referring to
Referring now to
The foregoing description of the apparatus and methods of the invention in described embodiments and variations, and the foregoing examples of processes for which the invention may be beneficially used, are intended to be illustrative and not for purposes of limitation. The invention is susceptible to still further variations and alternative embodiments within the full scope of the invention, recited in the following claims.
This patent application is a divisional application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/207,172 filed on Mar. 12, 2014 and entitled “Apparatus and Method for Sintering Proppants,” claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/777,999 filed on.12, 2013, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. This patent application is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/103820, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,832,361, 7,422,695, 7,578,937, 7,622,693, 8,074,439, 8,088,290, 8,278,810, 8,324,523, and other patents and patent applications of inventor Todd Foret.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61777999 | Mar 2013 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 14207172 | Mar 2014 | US |
| Child | 15601122 | US |
