Diffuser and solids collection and measurement system for use in conjunction with oil and gas wells
A diffuser and solids collection system includes a first baffle section having an input for receiving from a petroleum well a fluid carrying solids and a first set of internal baffles for reducing a velocity of the fluid. A second baffle section in fluid communication with the first baffle section has a second set of internal baffles for further reducing the velocity of the fluid. A solids collection container separates the solids from the fluid received from the second baffle section. A weighing system, supported by the second baffle section and supporting the solids collection container, weighs the solids collected in the solids collection container.
The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/680,995, filed Jun. 5, 2018, which is incorporated herein in its entirety for all purposes.
FIELD OF INVENTIONThe present invention relates in general to oil and gas operations and in particular to a diffuser and solids collection and measurement system for use in conjunction with oil and gas wells.
BACKGROUND OF INVENTIONIn a typical oil well, the oil, gas, water, and solids are produced at the wellhead and then separated. The oil, gas, and usable amounts of water are sent for sale or reuse. The solids, which may include solids such as fracing proppants (e.g., frac sand), are sent to a solids tank for recovery.
In many instances, the amount of solids being output from a given well or group of wells must be monitored. Current methods are based on rough estimates made by personnel observing the output being discharged into the tank. And while it would be advantageous to provide a more accurate and efficient method of determining the amount of solids being produced by a well, the nature of wellhead operations presents some significant challenges for achieving that goal. For example, the solids-bearing water is typically produced under pressure and is therefore discharged it at a high velocity.
SUMMARY OF INVENTIONThe principles of the present invention are embodied in a diffuser and solids collector system that provides for the collection of solids discharged from a wellhead and the accurate measurement (e.g., weighing) of the collected solids.
One particular embodiment of these principles is a diffuser and solids collection system, which includes a first baffle section having an input for receiving from a petroleum well a fluid carrying solids and a first set of internal baffles for reducing a velocity of the fluid. A second baffle section in fluid communication with the first baffle section has a second set of internal baffles for further reducing the velocity of the fluid. A solids collection container separates the solids from the fluid received from the second baffle section. A weighing system, supported by the second baffle section and supporting the solids collection container, weighs the solids collected in the solids collection container.
Advantageously, the principles of the present invention allow for an accurate measurement of the solids flowing out of a petroleum well under pressure.
For a more complete understanding of the present invention, and the advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following descriptions taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
The principles of the present invention and their advantages are best understood by referring to the illustrated embodiment depicted in
Solids-bearing water from water/solids separators 102a-102f and four phase separators 104a-104c are passed to diffuser and solids collector system 100. As discussed in further detail below, the water bearing solids, such as frac sand, are delivered diffusor and solids collection system 100, which reduces the fluid velocity, collects the solids, and allows the solids to be weighed. Once a desired amount of solids have been collected an weighed, they are discharged from diffuser and solids collector system 100 into solids tank 105.
High-velocity solids-bearing water is received through an inlet 206 near the top a vertical baffle section 201 and passes through a series of internal baffles, discussed in further detail below. Additional baffles within contiguous horizontal baffle section 202 further reduce the fluid velocity.
After the reduction in fluid velocity, the solids-bearing water is discharged through an aperture in the base of horizontal baffle section 202 and into particulate collection box 203. Particulate collection box 203 includes filter material supported by a hinged screen on the base. The hinged screen is associated with a handle and release mechanism, which allow a lateral edge of the hinged screen to be released and the collected solids to be dumped into solids tank 105 below, once those solids have been weighed by scale 204.
A preferred configuration of horizontal baffle section 202 is shown in
As shown in
The release mechanism includes a release handle 604 and a rotating latch 605, which includes a slot 607 for engaging a pin 606 extending from the free (non-hinged) side of hinged screen 600. Rotation of the latch around pivot point 608 is controlled by handle 604. When hinged screen 600 is the closed position, pin 606 on hinged screen 600 slides into slot 607 of rotating latch 605. To release hinged screen 600, and allow the free edge to fall, handle 604 is rotated such that latch 605 rotates away from pin 606 and pin 606 exits slot 607 in the latch 605.
The weighing system is shown in
The primary components of diffuser and solids collector system 100 including vertical baffle section 201 and internal baffles 400 and 402, horizontal baffle section 202 and internal baffles 500 and 501, and particulate (solids) collection box 203, are preferably fabricated from steel. In alternate embodiments, other materials capable of withstanding the stresses from use of diffuser and solids collector system 100 in the petroleum fields may be used.
Although the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments, these descriptions are not meant to be construed in a limiting sense. Various modifications of the disclosed embodiments, as well as alternative embodiments of the invention, will become apparent to persons skilled in the art upon reference to the description of the invention. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the conception and the specific embodiment disclosed might be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention. It should also be realized by those skilled in the art that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.
It is therefore contemplated that the claims will cover any such modifications or embodiments that fall within the true scope of the invention.
Claims
1. A diffuser and solids collection system comprising:
- a first baffle section having an input for receiving from a petroleum well a fluid carrying solids and a first set of internal baffles for reducing a velocity of the fluid;
- a second baffle section in fluid communication with the first baffle section and having a second set of internal baffles for reducing the velocity of the fluid;
- a solids collection container in fluid communication with the second baffle section for separating the solids from the fluid received from the second baffle section; and
- a weighing system supported by the second baffle section and supporting the solids collection container for weighing the solids collected in the solids collection container.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first set of baffles of the first baffle section comprises a plurality of vertically spaced-apart baffles supported by sidewalls of the first baffle section.
3. The system of claim 2, wherein plurality of vertically spaced-apart baffles of the first baffle section comprise a first angled baffle extending downward from a first sidewall and a second angled baffle extending downward from a second opposing sidewall.
4. The system of claim 2, wherein the plurality of vertically spaced-apart baffles of the first baffle section comprise a plurality of laterally spaced apart vertically aligned baffles extending between first and second opposing sidewalls of first baffle section.
5. The system of claim 1, wherein the second set of baffles of the second baffle section comprises a plurality of laterally spaced baffles extending upward from a floor of the second baffle section.
6. The system of claim 5, wherein the plurality of laterally spaced baffles extending upward from a floor of the second baffle section comprise at least one baffle extending inward at an angle to a sidewall of the second baffle section.
7. The system of claim 5, wherein the plurality of laterally spaced baffles extending upward from a floor of the second baffle section comprise at least one baffle disposed substantially perpendicular to a sidewall of the second baffle section.
8. The system of claim 1, wherein the solids collection container comprises:
- a hinged screen forming a bottom of the solids collection container; and
- a latching mechanism for latching the hinged screen in a closed position during the collection of the solids and releasing the hinged screen to discharge the collected solids from the solids collection container.
9. The system of claim 1, wherein the weighing system comprises:
- a support structure supported by an upper surface of the second baffle section;
- a scale supported by the support structure; and
- a coupling mechanism coupled to the scale and extending through apertures through upper and lower walls of the second baffle section to couple with the solids collections container.
10. A solids measurement system for measuring solids discharged from a petroleum well comprising:
- a vertical baffle section having an input for receiving from a petroleum well a fluid carrying solids and a set of vertically spaced internal baffles for reducing a velocity of the fluid;
- a horizontal baffle section having a set of horizontally spaced internal baffles for reducing the velocity of the fluid discharged from the vertical baffle section;
- a solids collection container for separating the solids from the fluid discharged from the horizontal baffle section; and
- a weighing system for weighing the solids collected in the solids collection container.
11. The system of claim 10, wherein the solids collection container comprises:
- a hinged screen forming a bottom of the solids collection container; and
- a latching mechanism for latching the hinged screen in a closed position during the collection of the solids and releasing the hinged screen to discharge the collected solids from the solids collection container.
12. The system of claim 11, further comprising a filter material disposed across the hinged screen for separating the solids from the fluid.
13. The system of claim 10, wherein the weighing system comprises:
- a support structure supported by an upper surface of the horizontal baffle section;
- a scale supported by the support structure; and
- a coupling mechanism coupled to the scale and extending through apertures through upper and lower walls of the horizontal baffle section to couple with the solids collections container.
14. The system of claim 13, wherein the coupling mechanism comprises a turnbuckle.
15. The system of claim 10, wherein the set of vertically spaced internal baffles of the vertical baffle section comprise at least one angled baffle extending downward from a sidewall of the vertical baffle section.
16. The system of claim 10, wherein the set of horizontally spaced internal baffles of the horizontal baffle section extend upward from a floor of the horizontal baffle section.
17. The system of claim 10, wherein at least part of the vertical baffle section is fabricated from steel.
18. The system of claim 10, wherein at least part of the horizontal baffle section is fabricated from steel.
19. The system of claim 10, wherein at least part of the solids collection container is fabricated from steel.
20. A method of measuring solids discharged from a petroleum well comprising:
- receiving from a petroleum well a fluid carrying solids;
- reducing a velocity of the fluid with a vertical baffle section having a set of vertically spaced internal baffles;
- reducing the velocity of the fluid discharged from the vertical baffle section with a horizontal baffle section having a set of horizontally spaced internal baffles;
- separating the solids from the fluid discharged from the horizontal baffle section with a solids collection container supported by the horizontal baffle section; and
- weighing the solids collected in the solids collection container with a weighing system supported by the horizontal baffle section.
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Type: Grant
Filed: Feb 11, 2019
Date of Patent: Aug 20, 2019
Assignee: Southpaw Fabrication (Odessa, TX)
Inventor: Robert Alan Tucker (Odessa, TX)
Primary Examiner: Christopher Upton
Application Number: 16/272,805
International Classification: E21B 12/06 (20060101); B01D 21/02 (20060101); E21B 21/06 (20060101); B01D 21/00 (20060101); E21B 43/34 (20060101); B01D 21/30 (20060101);