Patent Application
20180230361
This invention is directed toward the loading of liquids, solids dissolved in liquids (known as solutions), suspensions, and solids heated to reduce viscosity, onto scoria, perlite, pumice, aerogels, activated alumina, fullerenes, graphite, molybdenum, magnetite, vermiculite, and activated charcoal to achieve a dry liquid concentrate (“DLC”) or slurry, for use in processes where a substance or substrate is to be expanded by a pressurized propellant and held in an expanded state by a proppant of granular solid material.
Use of the proper DLC or slurry is crucial in processes where a substance or substrate is to be expanded by a pressurized propellant and held in an expanded state by a proppant of granular solid material, including, without limitation, hydraulic fracturing for hydrocarbons, manufacturing, oil well treatment and production chemicals, biological treatment and remediation systems, bio-reactor substrates, animal attractants or repellants, flavors (such as in coffee and tea packets), fragrances, cleaning chemicals, pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, vitamins, fertilizers, combinations of the above, and any material, manufacturing process, or remediation process benefiting from a DLC or slurry.
A proppant is a solid material designed to keep an induced hydraulic fracture open, during or following a fracturing treatment. It is added to a fracking fluid, which may vary in composition depending on the type of fracturing used, and may be gel, foam, gas, or slickwater-based. Fluids make tradeoffs in material properties, including: viscosity, where more viscous fluids can carry more concentrated proppant; the energy or pressure demands to maintain a certain flux pump rate (flow velocity) that will conduct the proppant appropriately; pH; various rheological factors; and other considerations, such as toxicity and degradability.
There is a need for an expanded list of viable chemical carriers that improve the economic considerations and competition in the industry, improve carrier stability and chemical retention duration, and provide for fracturing fluids and a method of making up the most effective and safest fracturing fluid for each of the many varied conditions and varied processes which use some form of hydraulic fracturing.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,964,291, issued on Oct. 12, 1999 to assignee AEA Technology PLC for “Well Treatment,” discloses chemical treatment agents supplied to a well or borehole extending through an earth formation, by subjecting the well to a fracturing treatment with a high pressure fluid and proppant particles. In the system, invented by Hugh Malcolm Bourne and Peter Arne Read, the proppant particles are thereby trapped in fractures in the earth formation. Some or all of the proppant particles are of porous insoluble inorganic material, and are impregnated with a chemical treatment agent, such as a scale inhibitor or a corrosion inhibitor. The porous particles may be of a ceramic or oxide material, such as a silica and/or an alumina-based material.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,209,646 was issued on Apr. 3, 2001 to assignee Halliburton Energy Services, Inc., covering “Controlling the Release of Chemical Additives in Well Treating Fluids.” In the '646 Patent, invented by Baireddy R. Reddy et al., methods of controlling the rates of release of chemical additives into treating fluids are provided. The methods are essentially comprised of causing a chemical additive in liquid form to be absorbed into a porous solid material whereby the chemical additive is encapsulated thereby, and when the resulting encapsulated chemical additive is combined with the treating fluid, the chemical additive is slowly released into the treating fluid. After being encapsulated, the liquid chemical additive is combined with the treating fluid and the treating fluid containing the encapsulated chemical additive is introduced into a well.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,493,955 was issued to assignee BJ Services Company on Feb. 24, 2009 for “Well Treating Compositions for Slow Release of Treatment Agents and Methods of Using the Same.” The '955 Patent, invented by D. V. Satyanarayana Gupta et al., discloses a composite of a well treatment agent adsorbed onto a water-insoluble adsorbent, useful in the treatment of oil and gas wells, which may be introduced, as a well treatment fluid, with a carrier fluid. The water-insoluble adsorbent may be activated carbon, silica particulate, precipitated silica, zeolite, diatomaceous earth, ground walnut shells, fuller's earth, and organic synthetic high molecular weight water-insoluble adsorbents. Suitable as the well treatment agent are scale inhibitors, corrosion inhibitors, paraffin inhibitors, salt inhibitors, gas hydrate inhibitors, asphaltene inhibitors, oxygen scavengers, biocides, foaming agent, emulsion breakers, and surfactants.
Lastly, U.S. Publ. No. 2014/0206080, which was published on Jul. 24, 2014 by inventors Ramiro Trevino et al., discloses “Composition and Method for Delivery of Living Cells in a Dry Mode Having a Surface Layer.” The system generally relates to compositions and methods of delivering living cells in a dry mode, wherein the compositions include a surface layer disposed on the outer surface of the composition that is permeable to carbon dioxide and oxygen. The compositions may be used to deliver living cells to a delivery point without the use of expensive refrigerants such as dry ice or liquid nitrogen.
There remains a need for fracturing fluids and a method of creating more effective and safe fracturing fluids that may be applied to each of the many varied conditions and processes that use hydraulic fracturing, as well as carrier alternatives to those presented above that provides higher levels of competition and improved economic conditions, carrier stability, and chemical retention duration, as discussed in more detail below.
This invention provides an expanded list of viable chemical carriers that improve the economic considerations and competition in the industry, improve carrier stability and chemical retention duration, and further provides for fracturing fluids and a method of making up the most effective and safest fracturing fluid for each of the many varied conditions and varied processes which use some form of hydraulic fracturing, by loading liquids, solids dissolved in liquids (solutions), suspensions, or solids heated to reduce viscosity, onto scoria, perlite, pumice, aerogels, activated alumina, fullerenes, graphite, molybdenum, magnetite, vermiculite, and activated charcoal to achieve a dry liquid concentrate (DLC) or slurry, for use in processes where a substance or substrate is to be expanded by a pressurized propellant and held in an expanded state by a proppant of granular solid material, including, without limitation, hydraulic fracturing for hydrocarbons, manufacturing, oil well treatment and production chemicals, biological treatment and remediation systems, bio-reactor substrates, animal attractants or repellants, flavors (such as in coffee and tea packets), fragrances, cleaning chemicals, pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, vitamins, fertilizers, combinations of the above, and any material, manufacturing process, or remediation process benefiting from a DLC or slurry.
Reference will now be made to the drawings, wherein like parts are designated by like numerals, and wherein:
Referring to
In one embodiment of the present invention, down hole chemicals are loaded onto carriers such as scoria, perlite, pumice, aerogels, activated alumina, fullerenes, graphite, molybdenum, magnetite, vermiculite, and activated charcoal (5.1 wt. % to 9.9 wt. % and in excess of 90 wt. %), and are introduced to the formation via being mixed with propellants or other means. In downstream gas and oil well production, chemicals are loaded onto such carriers such as scoria, perlite, pumice, and so forth, and introduced into the stream by means of a bed placed inline. The carrier substrates can impart time release properties, avoid undesirable side reactions prior to use, improve shelf life, and increase distribution of the treatment system. The activated carbon can be calcined to increase propellant strength. The particle size of the activated carbon can be sized to incorporate well with the other propellants or proppants. Perlite and pumice in particular have a low density, and allow for DLCs that can float on water. Scoria, in contrast, possesses a high density, which makes it preferable for use in applications heavier than water. Meanwhile, scoria and pumice each possess hard structures that can allow for higher-crush applications. Precipitated silica and activated carbon can be over-saturated (in excess of 90 wt. %) with liquids to form slurries.
In another embodiment of the present invention, cleaning chemicals, such as surfactants, can be loaded onto carriers like scoria, perlite, pumice, aerogels, activated alumina, fullerenes, graphite, molybdenum, magnetite, vermiculite, and activated charcoal for delivery on hydrocarbon contaminated substrates.
In another embodiment of the present invention, cleaning chemicals, such as surfactants, can be loaded onto carriers such as scoria, perlite, pumice, aerogels, activated alumina, fullerenes, graphite, molybdenum, magnetite, vermiculite, and activated charcoal for delivery on hydrocarbon contaminated substrates.
In another embodiment of the present invention, microbial and enzymatic systems are loaded onto carriers like scoria, perlite, pumice, aerogels, activated alumina, fullerenes, graphite, molybdenum, magnetite, vermiculite, and activated charcoal. The surface area of the carriers enhances microbial growth. The densities of scoria and pumice can allow the system to sink to the bottom of the water. The carrier's particle size can be selected to lock into the soil substrate or facilitate application via rotary spreader. Proper carrier substrate formulation can allow oil and stain remediation of concrete or gravel, such as found at fueling stations, fuel transfer and oil change facilities, railway beds and yards, convenience stores, and so forth. Such systems can be used in the treatment of hydrocarbons, heavy metals, radioactivity, salt, or other contaminants.
In another embodiment of the present invention, microbial and enzymatic systems are loaded onto carriers like scoria, perlite, pumice, aerogels, activated alumina, fullerenes, graphite, molybdenum, magnetite, vermiculite, and activated charcoal, and act as a microbial delivery system in a bio-reactor tank. The surface area of the carrier enhances growth of the microbes and in bed form improves contact with the treated material, such as contaminated water.
In another embodiment of the present invention, liquid animal attractants (such as Pheromones and/or flavors or fragrances) or repellants are loaded onto carriers such as scoria, perlite, pumice, aerogels, activated alumina, fullerenes, graphite, molybdenum, magnetite, vermiculite, and activated charcoal, which possesses a large internal carrying capacity. The internally absorbent carriers can act to extend the shelf life of normally temperature, oxygen and light sensitive agents, as well as allow time-release action and decrease movement in the soil.
In another embodiment of the present invention, flavors and fragrances loaded onto activated carbon can be blended with beverage components that are filtered via membrane, such as tea bags, coffee filters and cartridges like those found in a Keurig system or multi-component system, to avoid premature reaction between the flavors/fragrances with the tea leaves, coffee granules, or other beverage components.
In another embodiment of the present invention, fragrances that are incompatible with solid substrates, such as potpourri, can be loaded onto such scoria, perlite, pumice, aerogels, activated alumina, fullerenes, graphite, molybdenum, magnetite, vermiculite, and activated charcoal, to improve compatibility with the solid, increase shelf life, and act as a time release system.
In another embodiment of the present invention, fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides and fungicides can benefit from carriers such as scoria, perlite, pumice, aerogels, activated alumina, fullerenes, graphite, molybdenum, magnetite, vermiculite, and activated charcoal as the UV resistance, soil retention, bulking/dilution and mechanical delivery of the active ingredients can be improved.
In another embodiment of the present invention, vitamins can be delivered more efficiently in aquaculture applications, as the carriers like scoria, perlite, pumice, aerogels, activated alumina, fullerenes, graphite, molybdenum, magnetite, vermiculite, and activated charcoal-based DLC's can improve UV, temperature and oxygen resistance of the vitamins, allow for time-release of the nutrients into the water, decrease the loss due to dilution in open water systems, and help clean the water.
A 57.1 wt. % DLC downhole scale inhibitor is produced by loading 13.3 grams of inhibitor on 10.0 grams of perlite.
A 33.3 wt. % DLC downhole scale inhibitor is produced by loading 10.0 pounds of inhibitor on 20.0 pounds of pumice.
A 33.3 wt. % DLC downhole corrosion inhibitor is produced by loading 10.0 pounds of inhibitor on 20.0 pounds of pumice.
A 50.0 wt. % DLC downhole corrosion inhibitor is produced by loading 5.0 grams of inhibitor on 5.0 grams of perlite.
A 54.3 wt. % DLC downhole scale inhibitor is produced by loading 38 ounces of inhibitor on 32 ounces of perlite.
A 60.0 wt. % DLC downhole corrosion inhibitor is produced by loading 24 ounces of inhibitor on 16 ounces of perlite.
A 61.4 wt. % slurry of tire pyrolysis oil is produced on perlite powder with up to ½-inch particles. Tire pyrolysis oil can be used to remove paraffinic compounds in down-hole applications. The density of the perlite DLC allows the product to float on water. The high friability of the perlite allows for the DLC to be readily crushed to rapidly release the carried liquid.
An 18.7 wt. % slurry of tire pyrolysis oil is produced on scoria granules up to ⅛ inches in diameter. Tire pyrolysis oil can be used to remove paraffinic compounds in down-hole applications. The density of the scoria DLC allows the product to sink in water. The low friability of the perlite allows for the DLC to resist crushing under pressure and abrasion.
A 20.4 wt. % slurry of tire pyrolysis oil is produced on pumice with granule sizes ranging from ⅛ to ½ inches in diameter. Tire pyrolysis oil can be used to remove paraffinic compounds in down-hole applications. The density of the pumice DLC allows the product to sink in water. The low friability of the perlite allows for the DLC to resist crushing under pressure and abrasion.
A 61 wt. % DLC of 10% surfactant solution is produced by loading 17 grams of a 10% surfactant solution onto 11 grams of activated charcoal. The surfactant used is made by mixing 11 grams of Wisk concentrate in 93 grams of water. The activated carbon used may be Aqua-Tech. This surfactant DLC can be used as a cleaner and hydrocarbon remediation product. The solid DLC allows the surfactant to stay in place and time release into the treated matrix such as soil, proppants, or other solid substrates.
A 52 wt. % bacterial DLC is produced by loading 12 grams of the bacteria solution onto 11 grams of activated charcoal. The bacterial solution used may be AquaVitro Remediation Bacteria, designed to remediate organic waste such as food, sludge, and detritus. The activated carbon used may be Aqua-Tech. The solid DLC formulation of the bacteria allows its waste remediation properties to stay in place and time release into the treated matrix such as soil, proppants, or other solid substrates.
A 52 wt. % bacterial DLC is produced by loading 14 grams of the bacteria solution onto 13 grams of activated charcoal. The bacterial solution used may be AquaVitro Seed Bacteria, which contains anaerobic and aerobic facultative and nitrifying and denitrifying bacteria. The activated carbon used may be Aqua-Tech. The solid DLC formulation of the bacteria allows its waste remediation properties to stay in place and time release into the treated matrix such as soil, proppants, or other solid substrates.
A 74.2 wt. % slurry (57.5 wt. % DLC) of microbes from First Generation Microbials, LLC is produced on perlite powder with up to ½-inch particles. The density of the perlite DLC allows the product to float on water. The high friability of the perlite allows for the DLC to be readily crushed to rapidly release the carried liquid.
A 10.3 wt. % DLC of microbes from First Generation Microbials, LLC is produced on scoria granules up to ⅛ inches in diameter. The density of the scoria DLC allows the product to sink in water. The low friability of the perlite allows for the DLC to resist crushing under pressure and abrasion.
A 16.2 wt. % DLC of microbes from First Generation Microbials, LLC is produced on pumice with granule sizes ranging from ⅛ to ½ inches in diameter. The density of the pumice DLC allows the product to sink in water. The low friability of the perlite allows for the DLC to resist crushing under pressure and abrasion.
An 81.3 wt. % DLC of microbes from First Generation Microbials, LLC is produced on vermiculite with granule sizes ranging from 1/16 to ½ inches in diameter.
A 47.8 wt. % slurry of microbes from First Generation Microbials, LLC is produced on ⅛-inch diameter activated carbon (API).
A 59.0 wt. % slurry of microbes from First Generation Microbials, LLC is produced on diatomaceous earth powder.
A 50 wt. % bacteria DLC is produced by loading 1 pound of bacteria on 1 pound of vermiculite.
A 81.3 wt. % bacteria DLC is produced by loading 87.2 grams of bacteria on 20.0 grams of vermiculite.
A 56 wt. % bacterial DLC is produced by loading 14 grams of the bacteria solution onto 11 grams of activated charcoal. The bacterial solution used may be AP StressZyme, which is designed to remove sludge from aquatic surfaces. The activated carbon used may be Aqua-Tec. The solid DLC formulation of the bacteria allows its waste remediation properties to stay in place and time release into the treated matrix such as soil, filter media, gravel, or other solid substrates.
A 52 wt. % bacterial DLC is produced by loading 13 grams of the bacteria solution onto 12 grams of activated charcoal. The bacterial solution used may be Bio-Spira, which contains nitrifiers designed to remove ammonia and nitrite from aquatic environments. The activated carbon used may be Aqua-Tech. The solid DLC formulation of the bacteria allows its waste remediation properties to stay in place and time release into the treated matrix such as soil, filter media, gravel, or other solid substrates.
A 48 wt. % DLC of hog attractant is produced by loading 9.1 grams of a hog attractant onto 10.0 grams of activated charcoal. The activated carbon used may be API Activated Filter Carbon. The hog attractant used may be Black Gold hog attractant. The solid DLC formulation of the liquid hog attractant allows the active ingredient to lock into place and time release into the soil matrix.
A 38 wt. % DLC of thymol is produced by loading 6.2 grams of thymol onto 10.0 grams of activated charcoal. The activated carbon used may be API Activated Filter Carbon. The solid DLC formulation of the thymol allows its germicidal properties liquid attractant allows the active ingredient to stay in place and time release into the treated matrix such as soil, proppants or other solid substrates.
A 32 wt. % DLC of peppermint oil is produced by loading 4.8 grams of the active ingredient onto 10.0 grams of activated charcoal. The activated carbon used may be API Activated Filter Carbon. The solid DLC formulation of the peppermint oil allows its animal repellent properties to lock in place and time release in the soil matrix or other substrate where it is applied.
A 33 wt. % DLC of eucalyptol is produced by loading 5.0 grams of the active ingredient onto 10.0 grams of activated charcoal. The activated carbon used may be API Activated Filter Carbon. The solid DLC formulation of the eucalyptol allows its animal repellent properties to lock in place and time release in the soil matrix or other substrate where it is applied.
Many other changes and modifications can be made in the system and method of the present invention without departing from the spirit thereof. We therefore pray that our rights to the present invention be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.
This application claims the benefit of my provisional application Ser. No. 62/458,620, filed on Feb. 14, 2017 as covering “Composition and Method for Internally Loading Liquids onto Scoria, Perlite, Pumice, Aerogels, Activated Alumina, Fullerenes, Graphite, Molybdenum, Magnetite, Vermiculite, Activated Charcoal, Cellulose, Superabsorbent Polymers (SAPs), Chitin and other Biopolymers, and Superabsorbent Polymers (SAPs), Chitin and other Biopolymers [sic], and Precipitated Silica to Achieve a Dry Liquid Concentrate (DLC) or Slurry”, the full disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein and priority of which is hereby claimed.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62458620 | Feb 2017 | US |
