Patent Application
20170203268
Embodiments disclosed herein relate to chemical mixing and pumping units and related methods for oilfield operations.
Coiled tubing operations in oil and gas wells generally involve delivering by large pumping units pressurized fluid mixtures downhole through a coiled tubing string. Chemical additives and lubricants are commonly added to fluid mixtures as an integral step for performing efficient coiled tubing operations. Chemical additives and lubricants have generally been hand mixed by personnel on the side in small batches and poured through an open top of a mixing tank associated with the pumping unit, or mixed in another unit and delivered to the pumping unit. However, these mixtures are generally inadequately mixed and unstable due to air in the mixture. Moreover, water is poured into the mixture through an open top of a mixing tank causing the water to splash and bubble inside the tank. The air pockets created result in an improper mixture and are detrimental to coiled tubing operations when forced downhole. Previous mixing tanks have also generally been inadequate for running specialized fluid mixtures downhole, such as gel sweeps. What is needed then is an improved chemical mixing and pumping unit for oilfield operations.
In one aspect, embodiments disclosed herein relate to a chemical mixing and pumping unit for oilfield operations including at least one mixing tank onboard the chemical mixing and pumping unit. The mixing tank includes one or more mixing paddles within the mixing tank capable of agitating liquids therein, one or more water inlets capable of introducing water into the mixing tank and directing water flow toward the one or more mixing paddles, and one or more chemical inlets capable of introducing one or more chemicals into the mixing tank. The chemical mixing and pumping unit further includes one or more storage tanks capable of storing chemicals onboard the chemical mixing and pumping unit, and one or more pumps corresponding to the individual storage tanks capable of delivering chemicals from the storage tanks to the one or more chemical inlets in the at least one mixing tank.
In another aspect, embodiments disclosed herein relate to a mixing tank disposed onboard a unit for coiled tubing oilfield operations, the mixing tank including a mixing paddle within the mixing tank capable of agitating liquids therein, a water inlet capable of introducing water into the mixing tank and directing water flow toward the mixing paddle, and one or more chemical inlets capable of introducing one or more chemicals from chemical storage units into the mixing tank.
In yet another aspect, embodiments disclosed herein relate to a method of mixing liquids in a mixing tank prior to pumping a liquid mixture downhole. The method includes inputting one or more chemicals into the mixing tank through one or more corresponding chemical inlets, inputting water into the mixing tank through a water inlet at the bottom of the mixing tank and directing the water towards a mixing paddle within the mixing tank, and rotating the mixing paddle in a direction opposite that of the water stream directed towards the mixing paddle, thereby agitating and mixing liquids within the mixing tank.
The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein,
Embodiments disclosed herein relate to chemical mixing and pumping units and methods for oilfield operations. Other embodiments disclosed herein relate to chemical mixing and pumping units and methods for coiled tubing oilfield operations. Yet other embodiments disclosed herein relate to mixing tanks used on chemical mixing and pumping units, and related methods of operating the mixing tanks.
A chemical mixing and pumping unit may provide for onboard storage of one or more chemicals either permanently mounted on the pumping unit, or affixed using a cradle, skid-based, or mounting hardware either permanently affixed or temporary. The chemical storage may be contained in a permanently mounted tank or tanks of variable capacity, or temporarily attached tanks of variable capacity. The chemical storage may also be divided internally to allow for further chemicals to be stored in any capacity. These tanks may be constructed of any number of materials including plastic, metal, or a combination thereof that can prevent spillage from the unit. Cradling may be achieved by permanent placeholders or hardware.
Chemical mixing pumps may be disposed onboard the chemical mixing and pumping unit. The chemical mixing pumps may be any commercially available mixing pumps. The mixing pumps may be capable of providing flow from the aforementioned storage tanks at gallon per minute (“GPM”) rates suitable for introducing chemicals into the pumps or mixing tanks, also known as displacement tanks. These pumps may be independently controlled or controlled via a computer system or program that may calculate the adjustment of one or more chemicals from the chemical storage throughout mixing and pumping operations. The pumps may have any form of attachment to piping or the chemical storage tanks such as threaded, welded, brazed, or any other connection style such as a flanged connection.
One or more mixing or displacement tanks may be disposed onboard the chemical mixing and pumping unit. The displacement tanks may be any commercially available displacement tanks. The chemical mixing and pumping unit may have sufficient capacity for chemical mixing operations that exceeds twenty (20) barrels without refilling the aforementioned mixing tanks. In other embodiments, the chemical mixing and pumping unit may have sufficient capacity for chemical mixing operations that exceed thirty (30) barrels without refilling the mixing tanks. In certain embodiments, the mixing tanks have an integrated overflow tube or channel in case of overfill. The overflow tube or channel may extend fully or partially around the perimeter of the mixing tank. Certain embodiments disclosed herein may be automated to calculate proper types and amounts of chemicals needed for a particular job. Automated embodiments may continuously update the mixture as needed in the event of changes in operational pressure per square inch (“psi”), revolutions per minute (“rpm”), and gpm without need to stop for recalculation.
Each mixing tank includes mixing paddles within, which when rotated or oscillated or otherwise moved, agitate fluids within the mixing tank. The mixing paddles may be operated or powered by motors, such as hydraulic, electric, pneumatic or otherwise. The mixing paddles may be rotated or operated at different speeds. The mixing paddles generally may include at least one flat, bladed oar-type structure attached to a shaft that when rotated or moved causes the structure to contact fluid within the mixing tank and move the fluid about so as to create a shearing action in the fluid. In certain embodiments, there may be only a single oar-type structure attached to a shaft. In other embodiments, there may be two or more (e.g., three, four, six, etc.) oar-type structures attached to a shaft. The two or more oar-type structures may be equally or unequally arranged or spaced about the shaft. In one embodiment, the oar-type structures may be substantially perpendicular relative to a horizontal plane (i.e., vertical). In other embodiments, the oar-type structures may be angled relative to a horizontal plane. For example, the oar-type structures may be angled about 45 degrees relative to horizontal. In another example, the oar-type structures may be angled between about 30 degrees and 60 degrees relative to horizontal. In yet another example, the oar-type structures may be angled between about 10 degrees and 80 degrees relative to horizontal. Mixing paddles having multiple oar-type structures may have individual oar-type structures angled at different orientations from others on the same mixing paddle. Mixing tanks having multiple mixing paddles may have mixing paddles with oar-type structures angled at different orientations from other mixing paddles in the mixing tank.
Each mixing tank includes chemical inlets for delivering chemicals from a separate chemical storage container to the mixing tank. In one embodiment, the chemical inlets may be located on a top or upper portion or surface of the mixing tank. Alternatively, the chemical inlets may be located on other parts of the mixing tank. In certain embodiments, chemicals are pumped from the chemical storage tanks (by mixing pumps) and delivered through individual corresponding lines to chemical inlets. In other embodiments, chemicals may be routed through a manifold to isolate or introduce chemicals to multiple mixing tanks with either automated or manual controls. Chemicals are introduced into the mixing tank through the chemical inlets at the top of the tanks and drop directly into the mixing tanks during agitation by the mixing paddles, which results in minimal splashing and oxygenation of the mixture.
Each mixing tank includes one or more water inlets in a lower portion of the mixing tank, or in certain embodiments, at the bottom of the mixing tank. Water inlets introduce water into the mixing tanks. Water inlets located at or near the bottom of the mixing tank may reduce general bubbling or foaming of fluids usually common with top filled units. The water inlets may have a nozzle or decreasing diameter near an exit orifice to increase velocity of the exiting fluid stream, which may produce a jet type flow to improve mixing and create shear. The water inlets direct the water flow towards a nearby mixing paddle, and more specifically, towards the oar-type structures of the mixing paddle. That is, the water inlets direct the water flow to impinge directly on the oar-type structures of the mixing paddle. For instance, a distal end of the water inlet may be disposed from between one (1) and twenty (20) inches from the oar-type structure(s) of the nearest mixing paddle as the oar-type structure(s) pass by the water inlet. In one embodiment, the mixing paddles rotate in a direction opposite the direction of water flow entering the mixing tank from the water inlet. That is, the mixing oar-type structures of the mixing paddle move toward or approach the stream of water entering the mixing tank. This configuration causes the water stream to strike or impinge on the oar-type structures of the mixing paddle and create a vortex or vortices in the mixture. As a result, agitation of the liquids is greatly increased providing improved mixing and incorporating of liquids within the mixing tank.
The mixing tank 105 includes chemical inlets 112 for delivering chemicals from a separate chemical storage container to the mixing tank 105. As illustrated, the chemical inlets 112 may be located on a top or upper portion or surface of the mixing tank. Chemicals are introduced into the mixing tank 105 through the chemical inlets 112 at the top of the tank and drop directly into the mixing tank 105 during agitation by the mixing paddles, which results in minimal splashing and oxygenation of the mixture.
The mixing tank includes one or more water inlets 106 in a lower portion of the mixing tank 105, or in certain embodiments, at the bottom of the mixing tank 105. Water inlets 106 introduce water into the mixing tank 105. The water inlets 106 direct the water flow—illustrated by representative “W”—towards a nearby mixing paddle 107, and more specifically, towards the oar-type structures of the mixing paddle 107. Moreover, the mixing paddles 107 rotate—illustrated by representative “R”—in a direction opposite the direction of water flow W entering the mixing tank from the water inlet. That is, the mixing oar-type structures of the mixing paddle move toward or approach the stream of water entering the mixing tank. This configuration causes the water stream to strike or impinge on the oar-type structures of the mixing paddle and create a vortex or vortices in the mixture. As a result, agitation of the liquids is greatly increased providing improved mixing and incorporating of liquids within the mixing tank. Advantageously, the mixing tanks are capable of efficient and practical mixing of fluids while reducing the introduction of air/oxygen into the mixture.
The claimed subject matter is not to be limited in scope by the specific embodiments described herein. Indeed, various modifications of the invention in addition to those described herein will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing description. Such modifications are intended to fall within the scope of the appended claims.
